Mumbai, Jul 30 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has said the Maratha community will not be entitled to avail the 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category in the state.

A Government Resolution (GR), issued on July 28, said the Maratha community is covered under socially and educationally backward classes and hence it cannot avail the 10 per cent reservation under EWS for state government jobs and admissions to educational institutions in Maharashtra.

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The 10 per cent quota, a Centre-enacted law, is meant for economically weaker sections in the open category, who cannot avail any other social reservations, it said.

In the Union government list, the Maratha community is not included among backward classes and hence it is entitled to reservation for recruitment in central government jobs under the EWS category.

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But, the EWS reservation will not be applicable for Maratha community candidates in state government jobs and admissions to educational institutions in Maharashtra, the order said.

The GR said there have been complaints that reserved category candidates have got EWS certificates.

Tehsildars (revenue officials) should verify and cross check to ensure the candidate who is being given an EWS certificate doesnt fall under any other reserved category, it said.

Officers concerned should also ensure that EWS certificates taken to avail central government jobs are not used at the state-level, the GR said.

The Maharashtra government had enacted the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act, 2018, to grant reservation to the Maratha community in jobs and education.

The Bombay High Court, while upholding the law in June last year, had held that 16 per cent reservation was not justifiable and said that quota should not exceed 12 per cent in employment and 13 per cent in admissions.

The Maratha quota law has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)