The Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted the report of the Banthia Commission and directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold elections as per the report of Banthia Commission. This decision has paved the way for political reservation for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes in the Local Bodies’ Elections Maharashtra.
More than a year after it read down Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in local bodies, the #SupremeCourt paved the way for OBC reservation in #Maharashtra local bodies poll, as it accepted the Banthia Commission report. pic.twitter.com/Q7KVZWGPa0
— IANS (@ians_india) July 20, 2022
The apex court has also asked to take steps to hold the stalled elections in the state urgently. It has been ordered to announce the Election Schedule in the next two weeks.
The Jayantkumar Banthia Commission, in its report, recommended that OBCs should be given up to 27 percent reservation in local bodies.
As the SC accepted this report, OBCs will get 27 percent political reservation in local self-government elections in the state.
The Elections to 92 Municipal Corporations and four Nagar Panchayats have been held in the state. The Supreme Court has also given instructions to announce the detailed programme in respect of elections in the next two weeks.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said that the Supreme Court accepting the recommendations of the Banthia Panel Report on political reservation for the Other Backward Classes was a big achievement.
Talking to media in Mumbai, Shinde said, “Supreme Court has accepted our demand for an OBC reservation which was on stay for several years. It is a big relief for the OBC people. We had promised to give justice to the OBC people. We stood on our words.”
Supreme Court has accepted our demand for an OBC reservation which was on stay for several years. It is a big relief for the OBC people. We had promised to give justice to the OBC people. We stood on our words: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde pic.twitter.com/42hbhkV3TP
— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2022
Shinde expressed gratitude to the Banthia Commission for collecting the empirical data required to provide political reservations to the OBCs.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “Very happy that #OBCReservation got restored today. The report submitted by our Government has been accepted by Hon SC. We’ve been saying this since the beginning that empirical data was the only solution, but earlier the Govt was busy blaming the Central Govt & acted against the OBCs.”
Very happy that #OBCReservation got restored today. The report submitted by our Government has been accepted by Hon SC.
We've been saying this since beginning that empirical data was the only solution, but earlier Govt was busy in blaming Central Govt & acted against the OBCs. pic.twitter.com/TNqLjF70US— Devendra Fadnavis (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 20, 2022
Fadnavis said, “I had said earlier that if our government comes, we can give OBC reservation in 4 months. Then some people trolled, some leaders criticized. But, today our government under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknathrao Shinde has responded to that criticism with action.”
आमचे सरकार आले तर 4महिन्यात ओबीसी आरक्षण देऊ शकतो,असे मी पूर्वी सांगितले होते. तेव्हा काही लोकांनी ट्रोल केले, काही नेत्यांनी टीका केली. पण,आज मुख्यमंत्री एकनाथराव शिंदे यांच्या नेतृत्त्वातील आमच्या सरकारने कृतीने त्या टीकेला उत्तर दिले आहे.#OBC #BJP #OBCreservation #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/sp02YqhLAk
— Devendra Fadnavis (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 20, 2022