The Bombay High Court has scheduled an urgent special hearing on Monday afternoon to address a petition filed by the Amy Foundation against the ongoing Maratha quota protests led by activist Manoj Jarange. The agitation, centered at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, has disrupted the city’s business district, with thousands of supporters crowding major junctions, causing significant inconvenience to residents and commuters.

Jarange, who began an indefinite hunger strike on August 29, is demanding a 10 percent reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. Despite the Bombay High Court being on holiday for the Ganesh festival since August 27, Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Gautam Ankhad agreed to convene a special bench to hear the plea, which was filed last week and reiterated on Monday due to escalating public concerns.

The court had previously ruled on August 26 that public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely for protests and that demonstrations require prior permission from authorities. It suggested relocating the agitation to Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, but the state granted Jarange permission to protest at Azad Maidan for one day, later extended by another. Defiant, Jarange vowed on Sunday to continue his protest until the government meets his demands, intensifying tensions in the city.

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The Amy Foundation’s petition highlights the chaos caused by the protests, including traffic disruptions and public inconvenience in Mumbai’s bustling commercial hub. The foundation argues that the prolonged agitation violates court guidelines and burdens the city’s infrastructure and residents. The special hearing will examine whether the protest adheres to legal permissions and explore measures to balance the right to protest with public order.

As Mumbai grapples with the fallout, the High Court’s decision could set a precedent for handling large-scale agitations in India’s financial capital. With Jarange’s supporters showing no signs of relenting, all eyes are on the court to address this contentious issue swiftly.

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