Maratha Reservation: High Court to Resume Hearing Today

The legal battle over the Maratha reservation is set to resume today in the Bombay High Court. A newly constituted special three-judge bench, led by Justice Ravindra Ghuge and comprising Justice N. J. Jamadar and Justice Sandeep Marne, will begin hearing the long-pending petitions related to the reservation granted to the Maratha community.

The proceedings had been delayed following the transfer of Justice Devendra Upadhyay to the Delhi High Court. In response, the newly appointed Chief Justice, Alok Aradhe, has reconstituted the bench to ensure the matter receives focused judicial attention. The full bench is expected to provide direction on the constitutional validity of the reservation.

The state government had introduced a 10% reservation for the Maratha community under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Act. This move was justified by the government on the grounds that the Maratha community qualifies as socially and educationally backward in Maharashtra.

However, the decision has been challenged on constitutional grounds. The main contention revolves around the fact that this reservation breached the 50% cap on total reservations mandated by the Supreme Court. As a result, multiple petitions were filed in the Bombay High Court, arguing that the SEBC Act violates constitutional provisions and must be struck down.

The court is expected to address the validity of the state government’s justification for the reservation, the impact of exceeding the 50% cap, and whether exceptional circumstances existed to warrant such an extension. Legal experts and political observers are closely watching the case, given its potential to influence reservation policy across India.

With the hearing resuming today, all eyes are on the Bombay High Court and the three-judge bench, which holds the responsibility of delivering clarity on one of Maharashtra’s most contentious socio-political issues.