Thackeray govt announces 5% ‘Muslim quota’ in school & colleges; bill to be passed soon

In a massive development, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, on Friday, has announced in Maharashtra Legislative Council a 5% reservations for Muslims in school and colleges. State minister for minority affairs, Nawab Malik in response to Congress legislator Sharad Ranpise said in the Council that a bill will be introduced and the government will ensure its smooth passage. Malik added that action will be taken to ensure the passade before the beginning of the admissions for the academic year.

Now, Uddhav Thackeray's government to introduce Muslim quota in Maharashtra: Sources

Muslim reservation in Maharashtra

Earlier in January, Malik had confirmed that the move was in talks since the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) but had not been finalised yet. In spite of reservation in Maharashtra breaching 70%, sources on January 31, reported that the Thackeray-led Aghadi government is preparing to introduce a Muslim-based reservation in the state. Incidentally, a Muslim reservation was mentioned in Congress and NCP's manifesto.

NCP confirms Uddhav govt considering Muslim quota in Maharashtra, points at alliance CMP

Bombay HC upholds Maratha reservation

In June 2019, after a year of Maratha agitation, the Maharashtra Legislative State Assembly passed the amendment in the Socially Economically Backward Class Act including a 16% reservation in universities and government jobs. The Bombay High Court upheld the decision but reduced the quantum to of the reservation to 12% and 13% for social (jobs) and educational purposes. This brought the total reservation in Maharashtra up to 72% along with the Economically weaker section (in general category) reservation of 10%, passed by the Modi government.

'Shiv Sena supports this?' BJP questions Uddhav govt on proposed Maharashtra Muslim quota

Congress-NCP govt's ordinance

The previous Congress-NCP government had passed an ordinance granting a 5% quota to Muslims in 2014 in public employment and education in June 2014, months before the Assembly election, as per reports. Subsequently the ordinance was challenged and a Bombay High Court bench struck down the quota in public employment, but upheld the 5% reservation for the 50 sub-castes among the Muslim community in state owned or aided education institutions in November 2014. The successive BJP-Sena government scarped the law after the ordinance lapsed in December 2014. Thereafter, no law was introduced in the legislature pertaining to the Muslim quota during the five years of Devendra Fadnavis' tenure as CM

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