‘Centre must make provision in constitution for reservation’

After the Supreme Court, on Friday, said it would hear from March 8 in a hybrid manner, a combination of physical and virtual hearings, the pleas pertaining to the 2018 Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs, Public Works Minister Ashok Chavan, who heads the cabinet sub-committee, said the central government should make a constitutional provision for reservation to the Maratha community and also for the economically backward classes.

Chavan, who has already said that the central government should cooperate with the state government in the restoration of Maratha quota stayed by the apex court, asserted that the Narendra Modi government should make the necessary constitutional provision for the Maratha reservation during the ongoing budget session of the parliament. “There are many constitutional and legal issues that need to be addressed for the restoration of Maratha reservation. It is necessary to make the necessary constitutional provision. If that happens, it will help in resolving the issue of Maratha reservation and also similar quota-related issues in various other states,” said Chavan.

“The central government should take a positive role supporting the state government in the apex court. At the same time, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members of the parliament (MPs) from Maharashtra should urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the same,’’ he noted.