Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 20 (HBTV): The Maharashtra government on Tuesday approved a bill, extending reservation to the Maratha community above the 50 % mark in a special session of the state’s legislature. 

The bill for 10 % Maratha quota that the Mahayuti government of Eknath Shinde has approved on Tuesday is similar to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act 2018, introduced by the then Devendra Fadnavis government.             

This is the third time in a decade that the state has introduced legislation for the Maratha quota.

The decision to convene a special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on a hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district. 

The reservation has been extended based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission led by its chairman Sunil Shukre. 

The state already has a 10 % quota for the Economically Weaker Section in which the Maratha are the biggest beneficiaries, claiming 85 per cent of the reservation. 

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission on Friday submitted a report on the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community for which it had undertaken a survey of approximately 2.5 crore homes within a span of only nine days.    

The committee proposed a 10 % reservation for the Maratha in education and jobs, similar to that given in 2018 by the then-state government. 

In June 2017, the then Devendra Fadnavis government had constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission led by retired judge MG Gaikwad to study the social, financial, and educational status of the Maratha community.   

The commission submitted its report in November 2018, classifying the Maratha as a socially and educationally backward class.                 

(ANI) This is a syndicated news feed. It has been edited for clarity.