Maharashtra: Ashok Chavan heads the cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quota (File)
Maharashtra PWD Minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday sought protection for Maratha quota from the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent ceiling the way it has been done by the Centre in case of reservation for the economically weaker sections (EWS).
He said if the EWS quota can be protected from the 50 per cent cap through a constitutional amendment, why cannot the central government do the same for the Maratha reservation under the socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) category.
Talking to reporters here, Mr Chavan, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on the Maratha quota, said the Constitution does not specify any cap on reservations and maintained the 50 per cent limit has been put by courts.
"If the Centre can give constitutional protection to the 10 per cent EWS quota, how come the Maratha quota becomes outside the purview of the Constitution?" the Congress leader asked.
In 2018, the Maharashtra government had enacted a law granting quota to Marathas in education and government jobs.
In May, the Supreme Court had struck down the Maratha quota provided under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2018, terming it as "unconstitutional" and held there were no exceptional circumstances to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap set by the 1992 Mandal verdict.