5% reservation for Muslims scrapped in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government’s Social Justice Department on Tuesday issued a Government Resolution (GR) cancelling its 2014 order that had granted a 5% reservation to the Muslim community in educational institutions and government and semi-government jobs — a provision that had already been legally invalidated over a decade ago.

The reservation was introduced in July 2014 through an ordinance, classifying Muslims under the Special Backward Class-A (SBC-A) category. However, the policy was challenged in the Bombay High Court, which stayed its implementation in November 2014.


As the ordinance was not enacted into law by the state legislature within the stipulated deadline in December 2014, it lapsed automatically. The Supreme Court later set aside the quota while deciding a Special Leave Petition (SLP), effectively rendering the provision inoperative.

Despite the ordinance’s lapse and the apex court’s order, the state had not formally rescinded the original GR until now.

With Tuesday’s GR, the government declared all decisions and communications linked to the quota void.

This implies that no admissions or recruitment can be made under the 5% reservation, and no caste or validity certificates will be issued under the category.

Officials indicated that the move is largely procedural, as the reservation has not been in force for years following judicial intervention and the ordinance’s expiry.