SC dismisses petition challenging HC order on Maratha quotas in PG medical courses

New Delhi, May 20: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the NGO Janhit Manch's petition challenging the order by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay Court which had ruled out reservation for the Educationally Backward Classes and Marathas in some Post Graduate courses.

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court had earlier held that the decision of implementing 16 percent Maratha quota to PG medical admission process this year as "arbitrary". The HC noted that the PG medical admission process had already commenced at the time when the quota came into force.

According to reports, the Maharashtra Government had on May 4 challenged the order by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay Court. The Supreme Court had upheld the high court's decision.

Last week, the Maharashtra government had moved the Election Commission seeking permission to promulgate the ordinance as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is still in place. The poll panel granted permission for the same.

The division bench of honourable Justices Sunil Shukre and Pushpa Ganediwala had ruled in their order that the March 8 notification about the implementation of the new 16 percent reservation for the Maratha community, under the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) quota; shall not be applicable to the admission process, which had started earlier, reported PTI.

On November 30 last year, the Maharashtra Legislature had passed a bill proposing 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs. In November last year, the Maharashtra assembly unanimously passed bill giving 16 per cent reservation for Maratha community in jobs and education.

This was separate reservation from existing OBC and SC ST reservations already in place.