The Maharashtra Assembly passed a Maratha reservation bill, granting a 10 per cent quota in education and government jobs to the Maratha community.
This marks the third time in a decade that the Maratha quota bill has been passed by the state government.
Its previous bill was nullified by the Supreme Court on May 5, 2021.
The Supreme Court's decision highlighted the absence of valid grounds to breach the 50 per cent reservation while granting the Maratha quota.
The reservation is based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC).
The report stated that the Marathas account for 28% of Maharashtra’s population, and are in an “exceptional circumstances and extraordinary condition” of backwardness.
To justify the attempt to breach the 50% cap, the bill has cited the case of 69% reservation in Tamil Nadu.
Apart from Tamil Nadu, there’s 67% in Haryana, 69% in Bihar, 55% in West Bengal, 59% in Gujarat.