The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, also known as the lower house, unanimously approved the Maratha Reservation Bill on Tuesday. This bill aims to extend a 10 per cent reservation to the Maratha community, surpassing the 50 per cent cap.

The Chief Minister will now present the bill in the Legislative Council for final assent, following which it will be enacted into law.

Vijay Wadettiwar, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, expressed that opposition parties were in alignment with the decision to grant reservation to the Maratha community.

The state government has scheduled a one-day special session of the state legislature to table and deliberate on this crucial bill.

The legislation for the 10 per cent Maratha quota, endorsed by the government led by Eknath Shinde, bears resemblance to the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act of 2018, introduced during the tenure of the former Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis.

This marks the third instance in the past decade that the state has initiated legislative measures for Maratha reservation.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "I am the CM of the state and I work with the blessings of all. We don't think on the basis of caste or religion. If such a situation comes with any other community, my stand as CM will be similar to what is my stand for the Maratha community."

"We all are of similar views here on the Maratha reservation, so I will not make any political statement here," added Shinde, expressing gratitude for the cooperation extended and reaffirming his commitment to fulfilling promises made to the Maratha community.

The decision to convene a special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, currently on a hunger strike in Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district. Among his demands are Kunbi certificates for all Marathas, free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level, and reservation of seats for Marathas in government job recruitments.

The extension of reservation follows a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC), led by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre.

It's noteworthy that the state already allocates a 10 per cent quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), with Marathas being the primary beneficiaries, claiming approximately 85 per cent of those allocations.

The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission conducted an extensive survey of around 2.5 crore households within a span of nine days to assess the social and educational backwardness of the Maratha community. Based on the findings, the commission proposed a 10 per cent reservation for Marathas in both education and employment, similar to previous initiatives undertaken in 2018.

The journey towards Maratha reservation began in June 2017 when the Devendra Fadnavis government constituted the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC) under the leadership of Justice (Retired) MG Gaikwad. The commission submitted its report in November 2018, affirming Marathas' status as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).

However, on May 5, 2021, the Supreme Court nullified reservations for the Maratha community in educational institutions and employment sectors, citing the absence of sufficient grounds to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap.