According to the latest reports, the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC)’s interim report supports the state’s 27 per cent quota for OBCs in local body elections. Apart from this, they also concluded that the actual population of the backward class in Maharashtra is greater.
In accordance with the two data sets provided by the government, the panel led by Justice A V Nirgude (retd) remarked that the OBC population in the state could be over 38 per cent. This report is anticipated to have an effect on the restoration of the quota which was previously set aside by the apex court.
The matter had been adjourned by the Supreme Court to February 8. In the previous hearing, the court had asked the state government to give its data on the OBCs to the commission and write an interim report on its recommendation.
Previously, a triple test criterion was set by it to fix political quotas for the OBCs. On the other hand, the interim report looked to consider the data provided by the state and suggest a solution to offer political reservation for the OBCs.
Based on accounts, the MSBCC highlighted that the data from Systematic Administration Reforms for Achieving Learning (SARAL) depicted that nearly 33 per cent of Maharashtra’s population are OBCs. Moreover, data from a UDISE report by the Maharashtra education department showcased the OBC population was 38 per cent.
The report says that through the above sources, the percentage of OBC students joining schools can be understood, thus, the percentage of OBCs in the state could be greater than 38. It went on to make a recommendation to give 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in the upcoming local body elections.
The commission added that in those cases where the reservation of the SC and ST is more, OBCs will get lesser than 27 per cent. The OBC quota was scrapped by the Supreme Court in March 2021.
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