Pleas filed in Bombay HC against GR granting Kunbi certificates to Marathas

Petitions have been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government's resolution (GR) to issue Kunbi caste certificates to members of the Maratha community, enabling them to access reservations in education and public services under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. The pleas, including two new ones and an amendment to an existing petition by Manoj Sasane of the OBC Welfare Foundation, argue that the decision is arbitrary, unconstitutional, and driven by political motives to appease the Maratha community. They claim it contradicts previous government stances on Maratha reservations and unfairly dilutes benefits for genuine OBC groups.

One petition, filed by advocate Vinit Vinod Dhotre as a public interest litigation (PIL), asserts that Marathas are a politically dominant and socially advanced community, making their inclusion in OBC reservations discriminatory. Another petition from the Shiva Akhil Bhartiya Veershaiva Yuvak Sanghatana references reports from the State and National Backward Classes Commissions, stating that Marathas and Kunbis are distinct and cannot be equated. The petitioners seek to quash the GR and request an interim stay on its implementation pending hearings.

This legal challenge stems from recent events, including activist Manoj Jarange's five-day hunger strike in late August, which pressured the government to issue the GR based on the Hyderabad gazetteer. The resolution allows Marathas with historical documentary evidence to obtain Kunbi certificates, sparking unrest among OBC communities. A bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad is expected to hear the cases soon.

Also Read: PM Modi Welcomes Mauritius PM Ramgoolam for Varanasi Talks

The government's move has intensified debates over reservation policies, highlighting tensions between social justice and political expediency in Maharashtra.

Also Read: Hyderabad Gazette Triggers New Reservation Battle: Banjaras Join Maratha Quota Debate