MVA is in favour of asking PM Modi's involvement to restore the OBC quota in Local Governments

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray attended a meeting with Senior Ministers and the state's advocate general on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court ordered the State Election Commission (SEC) to set a poll timetable for Civic and Local Governments in Maharashtra.

 

The head of the Samata Parishad, veteran NCP Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, suggested that the state government seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to restore 27 percent reservation to the Other Backward Class (OBC) community in local bodies, as the issue is not limited to Maharashtra but also to other states.

 

There was unanimous agreement that the OBCs cannot be excluded from the electoral process because they are entitled to their quota, and that the PM's assistance should be sought as soon as possible. According to Bhujbal, "The SC order and the next steps were explained by the advocate general. It was decided to hold off until the Supreme Court rules on the Madhya Pradesh case."

 

A dedicated commission is collecting empirical data on the OBC group in Maharashtra, according to Bhujbal, and the assignment will be completed in one and a half months. Compiling empirical data on the OBC population is one of the 'three tests' imposed by the Supreme Court to determine whether the community's political quota should be restored.

 

The SEC will decide on the election schedule, according to Bhujbal, a major OBC leader in the state. According to Bhujbal, the state OBC commission, led by Jayant Kumar Banthia, a former Chief Secretary of the state, is endeavouring to accomplish the task of collecting empirical data on time. Meanwhile, an NCP delegation met with the State OBC Commission and urged that empirical data be provided as soon as possible. The State Government, according to Bhujbal, would provide the Commission with complete cooperation.

 

 

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