The Maratha community will be provided reservation in jobs and education under a new category called the Socially and Educationally Backward Class, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday.
This come months after the community staged massive protests across the state.
The Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission, which submitted its report on the social and economic conditions of the Maratha community, recommended that reservation be given to them, without disturbing the quota granted to Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Asked whether the proposed reservation for Marathas will cross the 50 per cent ceiling set by the Supreme Court, Fadnavis said the commission had described the condition of Maratha community as “extraordinary and exceptional”.
Fadnavis said that further action will be initiated by a Cabinet sub-committee and the final decision would be taken during the Winter Session of the Assembly beginning on Monday.
He said that the Commission has not recommended that Marathas be included in to the existing OBC reservation.
Maharashtra already has 52 per cent reservation. As the government is expected to give 16 per cent reservation to the Marathas, the total reservation in the Maharashtra will be pushed to 68 per cent.
However, this is far beyond the 50 percent limit set by the Supreme Court for states.
According to the Chief Minister, it is an extraordinary situation, reservation above 50 per cent can be given, the way it was done in Tamil Nadu.
