SC REFUSES TO GIVE INTERIM ORDER

Hearings will be held from July 27 for three days

SANJAY JOG Mumbai

The politically influential Maratha community has received a major relief as the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, has not granted an interim stay on 12 per cent quota in education and 13 per cent in employment as per the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act 2018 in Maharashtra. Hearings will be held daily from July 27 for three days.

The cabinet sub-committee chaired by Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan said despite repeated pleas by the opponents of the Maratha reservation, the apex court has not granted an interim stay, which is a big positive. He gave credit to a legal team representing the state government for the same. The team comprises former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and Paramjit Singh Patvalia representing state government, senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Rafiq Dada for intervenors and PS

Narsimha appearing for the respondent.

The apex court is hearing a main petition challenging the reservation and also interim stay on post graduate medical admission process. The government did not give interim stay in this matter.

The SEBC 2018 was enacted to grant reservation to the people of the Maratha community in Maharashtra in education and jobs. The Bombay High Court upheld the law in June last year. However, it had ruled that the 16 per cent reservation was not justifiable and said that quota should not exceed 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in jobs.

The petitioners have challenged the Bombay High Court's decision. The petitioners submitted that the SEBC Act, 2018 breached the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation fixed by the apex court in its landmark judgment in the Mandal verdict.

Vinod Patil, who is the respondent in the case, told the Free Press Journal, “I sincerely appeal to the Maharashtra government to make all efforts so that the reservation passes the Supreme Court.’’ Cabinet sub-committee members, which had met last week, may meet with the legal team before July 27 to review the preparations.

I sincerely appeal to the Maharashtra government to make all efforts so that the reservation passes the Supreme Court. - VINOD PATIL, RESPONDENT