The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to hear Maharashtra government’s plea against Bombay High Court order staying the decision to give 16 percent reservation in jobs and educational institutions in the state.
“It is just an interim order, let the Bombay High Court decide it,” a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu said, while refusing to hear a batch of petitions filed by various parties, including the Maharashtra government, on the issue.
Last month, the Bombay HC had cancelled the previous Congress-NCP government’s decision of giving 16 percent reservation for Marathas.
Newly-elected Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had advocated for Maratha reservation and approached the Supreme Court.
Four months ahead of Assembly elections, the Congress-NCP government had announced 16 percent reservation for Marathas and five percent for Muslims in jobs and educational institutions.
The High Court had last month stayed the implementation of the decision of the erstwhile Congress-NCP government to provide reservations to the Maratha community in government jobs and educational institutions.
The HC’s order came on a petition challenging the measure, terming it as a “fraud” on the Constitution.
The bench headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah also stayed the previous Prithviraj Chavan-led government’s order to provide 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in public service, but allowed them quota in educational institutions.
