Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday said unless the 50 per cent cap on reservations is relaxed, the constitutional amendment on allowing states to prepare their own OBC list will not help and the Maratha quota cannot be restored. Talking to reporters here after meeting Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Raut said he discussed the issue and developments regarding it in Parliament with the CM. He said state Public Works Department Minister Ashok Chavan will hold a virtual meeting to inform leaders of all political parties about the status of the issue of Maratha quota, which was quashed by the Supreme Court earlier this year.
The demand for a debate will be raised when the constitutional amendment issue comes up in Parliament, the Rajya Sabha member said. "Unless the 50 per cent cap is relaxed, the Maratha quota cannot be restored," he said. The Union Cabinet is learnt to have cleared a Constitution amendment bill that seeks to give power to states and UTs to make their own OBC lists. The bill will now be introduced in Parliament for passage, sources said in Delhi on Wednesday. The Supreme Court had dismissed the Centre's plea seeking review of the May 5 majority verdict which held that the 102nd constitution amendment took away the states' powers to declare socially and educationally backward classes (SEBC) for grant of quota in jobs and admissions.
The Maharashtra government had granted reservation to the Marathas in jobs and education under the SEBC category. On May 5, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had unanimously set aside the quota for Marathas and refused to refer the 1992 Mandal verdict putting a cap of 50 per cent on reservations to a larger bench.
Raut also said he discussed organisational matters with Thackeray, whose party shares power with the NCP and Congress in Maharashtra. The Sena leader also said he had briefed Thackeray about his meeting with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on the same day when he met the latter. Raut declined to respond to questions about prospects of an alliance between the BJP and the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls due next year.
He also evaded a reply to a question on whether Rahul Gandhi would visit 'Matoshree', the residence of CM Thackeray in Mumbai, when he visits the city on December 28 this year. "December is much ahead. Let's see then," Raut said.
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