Maharashtra withdraws 5% Muslim quota in jobs and education
The five per cent quota for Muslims was introduced by the previous Congress-NCP government through an ordinance
PTC web Desk: The Maharashtra Government has formally scrapped the five per cent reservation earlier granted to members of the Muslim community in public employment and educational institutions.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued on Tuesday confirmed that the earlier provision has been annulled after the ordinance enabling the quota expired. The move also comes amid an interim stay imposed by the court on the implementation of the decision.
The five per cent quota for Muslims was introduced by the previous Congress-NCP government through an ordinance. At the same time, the government had also proposed a 16 per cent reservation for the Maratha community. However, the legal and procedural hurdles surrounding the policy led to uncertainty over its continuation.
According to the fresh GR, all decisions, notifications, and circulars issued in 2014 regarding reservation for Muslims under the Special Backward Category (A) have now been revoked. The order makes it clear that the benefit of reservation in government and semi-government jobs, as well as in educational institutions, will no longer be applicable to the Muslim community under this category.
The resolution further states that authorities will stop issuing caste and non-creamy layer certificates to Muslims under the Special Backward Category framework.
The development marks a significant policy shift in the state’s reservation structure and is likely to trigger political debate, especially as reservation policies have remained a sensitive and contested issue in Maharashtra’s socio-political landscape.