Bill for 16% Maratha quota for PG Medical admission passes Maharashtra legislature test - Key points to know

Both houses of Maharashtra Legislature have passed a bill to amend the SEBC Act (Socially Economically Backward Class) to ensure 16 per cent reservation to students of Maratha community in PG Medical Admission. The amendment was cleared unanimously in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday, a day after it was passed unanimously in the Legislative Assembly. Here are key points to know about the amendment:

- The bill will now be sent to the Governor for approval. It will come into effect after the governor signs the bill. 

- BJP-led Maharashtra government had earlier promulgated an ordinance to amend the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) Reservation Act, 2018 for providing reservation to Maratha students in post-graduate medical courses.

- On November 29th in 2018,  Maharashtra Legislature had passed a bill proposing 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs for Marathas who have been declared as socially and educationally backward class by the government. However, the admissions to post-graduate medical courses had already begun on November 2.

- Following the passage of the bill in Assembly, students from the open category had moved the Bombay High Court, which struck down the reservation.

- In May this year, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court said the 16 per cent reservation for the Maratha community under the SEBC category would not be applicable for the post-graduate medical courses this year. The high court also said that the government's decision to introduce the quota was unconstitutional.

- The high court's decision was also upheld by the Supreme Court. The apex court cancelled the 16 per cent SEBC quota for post-graduate medical seats in the state.

- However, the state government received permission from the Election Commission (EC) to promulgate an ordinance last month. The ordinance was promulgated to restore the admissions already done.