Maratha Reservation Bill: Ashok Chavan Says Congress Is With People Seeking Quota

Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to refuse an interim stay on the Bombay High Court's order which had upheld the constitutional validity of the Maharashtra law granting reservation to the community in education and jobs.

The Supreme Court will start day-to-day final hearing from July 27 on the petitions challenging the reservation law's constitutional validity.

"It is a satisfactory development that the Supreme Court has refused to stay the admissions of PG courses in medical education as per the state's Maratha Reservation Act. Though people opposing the Maratha reservation tried their best to get a stay, our lawyers argued very effectively, and SC refused the stay," said Chavan.

Stating Congress' stand on the Maratha reservation bill, Chavan said, "In the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi, the Congress working committee has passed a resolution unanimously to support the Marath reservation bill in its meeting in Hyderabad. With CWC passing the resolution, it has now become the party's official stand, as it was in past too.

CWC resolution demanding to raise the upper limit of reservation from 50 per cent will give a push to the demand of Marathas seeking reservation, Congress leader added.

Maharashtra Deputy Chairperson of the state legislative council, Neelam Gorhe, told the media that the Marath Reservation bill will be discussed during the winter session in both houses of the state, starting from December 7.

"No doubt the issue will come up during the winter session. But I cannot announce the date until all the business and other procedures are finalized, but the reservation issue will be discussed in both the houses, and it is everyone's wish that some permanent solution is found," she said.