Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has formally cancelled the 5 per cent reservation that had been granted to sections of the Muslim community under the Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category. The decision, issued through a fresh government resolution, brings to a close a policy that had remained under legal uncertainty since 2014.
Officials in media have clarified that the move should not be seen as a new policy rollback but as an administrative correction aligned with the legal position that evolved after intervention by the Bombay High Court.
The resolution, issued late Tuesday (Feb 17), nullifies the quota extended under the Special Backward Category-A (SBC-A), which had covered both direct recruitment in government and semi-government services as well as admissions in educational institutions. The policy was originally introduced to address educational and employment backwardness among certain Muslim groups in the state. The latest action has been taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The origins of the reservation date back to July 2014, when the then state cabinet approved a proposal moved by Minority Welfare Minister Naseem Khan. The decision granted 5 per cent reservation and directed authorities to issue caste and validity certificates to eligible beneficiaries so they could avail benefits in jobs and educational institutions. However, soon after its announcement, the policy was challenged through a writ petition before the Bombay High Court.
On November 14, 2014, the High Court granted an interim stay on the provision related to public employment under state control. Although discussions around educational reservations continued, the legal uncertainty surrounding the ordinance meant that the quota could not be fully implemented in the manner originally envisaged.
According to the state government, the ordinance that created the SEBC quota was never converted into a proper law by the legislature and therefore lapsed automatically. In legal terms, this meant that government resolutions and circulars issued in 2014 and 2015 lost their validity over time. The General Administration Department has now formally cancelled those orders to bring official records in line with the court-backed legal position.
Officials maintain that the current decision does not withdraw a functioning quota but merely recognises an existing legal reality.
