Maratha reservation: Panel may miss Nov 15 deadline to submit final report
MUMBAI: Although Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) has agreed to submit its report on the social and economic backwardness of the Maratha community by November 15, officials said it is unlikely that the panel will meet the deadline.
The report will act as a deciding factor in providing reservation to the politically influential community that makes up nearly 32% of the state’s population. MBCC was formed in January 2017 following protests from the Maratha community demanding 16% reservation in government jobs and education.
MBCC has several tasks at hand before it can submit its report. The important ones include analysis of reports from five administrative regions of the state on social and educational backwardness of the community, analysis of data on the number of Maratha students and employees in state universities and government and the final report on the two lakh representations it received during public hearings it conducted across 20 districts. MBCC had constituted an expert committee of professor Omprakash Jadhav from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Dr Sudhir Gavhane, former vice-chancellor of Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, social scientist and professor Ambadas Mohite to prepare the report after studying the representations.
“The commission is awaiting an analysis from the expert committee. MBCC had said it would need a month to study the report,” said a state official. MBCC had appointed five agencies to survey five regions to understand social and educational backwardness of the Marathas. While the agencies have submitted their reports, the commission said it needs a month to compile and scientifically analyse them. The time was sought in the affidavit it filed in the court last month. In the affidavit, MBCC agreed to submit the final report by November 15.
MBCC will also consider constitutional provisions relating to reservations and also various judgements of the Supreme Court and high courts before preparing the report, said an official.
“We have provided manpower and other facilities demanded by MBCC. We hope it submits its report in time,” said Dinesh Waghmare, secretary, social justice department.