Cabinet sees heated debate about MPSC’s petition on Maratha quota

Heated debate took place at the state cabinet meeting over the Maharashtra Public Service Commission’s (MPSC) decision to file a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking approval to revise the results of the examinations held before the interim stay was granted on the Maratha quota on September 9, 2019. MPSC, in its petition, has also prayed that it should be allowed to exclude the Maratha reservation benefit to the candidates, who had passed the examinations last year during the recruitment. Even though the examinations were held last year, MPSC could not announce the results and complete the recruitment owing to the pandemic.

The ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan, who heads the cabinet sub committee on the Maratha quota and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde strongly criticised MPSC’s unilateral move keeping the state government in the dark. The ministers were furious as they took a strong objection, saying that MPSC’s move will adversely impact its efforts to restore the 12% reservation in education and

13% in government jobs under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, to the Maratha community. Even though MPSC had filed a petition on Friday, the state government was unaware of it till today when the apex court held a hearing on the Maratha quota issue on the state government’s plea for physical and not virtual hearing in the matter. Chavan made last minute efforts to convince MPSC to withdraw its petition, but it did not yield results. Ministers strongly demanded that the MPSC chairman should be summoned and warned for its move. MPSC, being an autonomous institution, the

government cannot fire its chairman.

A senior minister told Free Press Journal, “The cabinet has expressed strong resentment against the MPSC officials who are putting the government in trouble. The Chief Minister has directed immediate inquiry into the matter. The cabinet was unanimous that a stern action should be taken against those who have unilaterally filed petitions without keeping the state government in the loop.” The ministers feared that MPSC’s move will further create problems, as the disenchantment among the Maratha community is growing because of the interim stay on the quota.