Maharashtra government likely to restore OBC quota for approaching local body polls

On Wednesday, in the state cabinet meeting, the Maharashtra government had decided to proclaim an ordinance to amend two legislations to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the local bodies without violating the 50 percent reservation cap ordered by the Supreme Court. 

 

This decision from the state came noticing the approaching by polls to be held in six district councils which have been announced by the state election commission on October 5, stated food and civil supplies minister of Maharashtra Chhagan Bhujpal. With this move the state will be able to take the 90 per cent seats of the Other Backward Class (OBC) community in the local body elections, though in some districts the seats are going to be minimised. Further stating about the rift going on between Supreme Court and the state government, he said that it may continue. 

 

An estimation was prepared by the state government following the decision on amendment came, that of the total 5200 seats, reserved for the Other Backward Class (OBC) community 4500 seats can be saved after the amendment. The state rural development department will now issue an ordinance to bring in an amendment to two legislations. An ordinance similar to this was issued by the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on July 31, 2019. 

 

As soon as the new amendment is issued, the SC and ST communities will continue to get reservation quota based on the population but the Other Backward Class (OBC) community will get the left, under 50 percent ceiling. For example, the tribal populated district Palghar will not get a reservation for the Other Backward Class (OBC) community as there is a large population of the ST community. 

 

State wide protests were conducted earlier in the day at Thane, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Solapur, Jalgaon, Kolhapur and Nashik all over the state by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. This decision is going to play a major role in the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections in 2022 as during the tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state of Maharashtra, the Other Backward Class (OBC) community had not faced any reservation issue like this. 

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @SupremeCourtFan