The litigation over the contentious issue of extending 16 per cent reservations to Maratha community in educational institutions and Government jobs reached a crucial stage on Friday, as the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra and other petitioners to submit their written arguments ahead of fixing the date for final hearing in the case.
Hearing a bunch of petitions challenging reservations extended to Maratha and Muslim communities that the high court had admitted in July 2014, a HC division bench of Justices Anoop Mohta and GS Kulkarni directed all the parties concerned to submit their written arguments by October 13 after which the court would fix a date for final hearing in the matter.
The HC directive could not have come at a more opportune time for the BJP-led saffron alliance Government than now, given that it currently faces a dilemma on how to deal with an explosive situation arising out of massive “silent” rallies being taken out by the Marathas demanding among other things reservations to predominant community in education and Government jobs.
It may be recalled that on November 14, 2014, the Bombay High Court on Friday stayed an ordinance promulgated by the previous Congress-led DF Government ahead of the October 2014 State Assembly polls extending 16 per cent reservations to Marathas and five per cent to Muslims.