Supreme Court Strikes Down Maratha Quota, Says Reservation In Maharashtra Can’t Exceed 50%

The Supreme Court on May 5 cancelled the reservation in government jobs & educational institutions for the Maratha community brought in by Maharashtra in 2018. SC said that it exceeded the 50 per cent cap imposed earlier. A five-judge bench examining the constitutional validity of the 16 per cent reservation brought in by the earlier BJP government in Maharashtra said the move violated equality. It, however, said all admissions made to post-graduate medical courses & appointments already made under the new quota law shall not be disturbed by its ruling on May 5. The constitution bench also said there was no need to revisit the 50 per cent cap on reservation imposed by the Supreme Court in the 1992 Mandal judgment. In 2018, the BJP government in Maharashtra had passed the Socially & Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act that provided 16 per cent reservation to the Maratha community. Hearing a petition that argued the Maharashtra government's decision amounted to providing the Maratha community with "permanent crutches", the Bombay High Court had upheld the quota in 2019. The Supreme Court had put the Bombay High Court judgment on hold last year.