Mumbai, March 23: The Bombay High Court held a hearing on Monday regarding a petition challenging the Maharashtra government’s decision to revoke 5% reservation for socially and educationally backward Muslim communities in education and government jobs.
This decision was made in February 2026 when the government issued an order on February 17, formally canceling an earlier ordinance from 2014, which had already expired and was previously stayed by the court.
The petition claims that this action violates constitutional provisions and adversely affects the interests of the Muslim community. The petitioner sought to annul the government’s decision and requested interim relief to restore the reservation. This public interest litigation, filed by advocate Ejaz Naqvi, received support from representatives of the Muslim community.
During the hearing, neither the petitioner nor their representative was present in court. Consequently, the High Court did not proceed with the petition and instructed the petitioner to appear in person or through their lawyer at the next hearing. The court has scheduled the next hearing for April 2, when a detailed discussion on the matter will take place.
This dispute is part of a long-standing reservation issue in Maharashtra. In 2014, the then Congress-NCP government decided to provide 5% reservation to certain backward classes within the Muslim community under the Special Backward Class (SBC-A) category. However, the Bombay High Court had already stayed this decision in November 2014, and later, the Supreme Court also invalidated the reservation. The current Mahayuti government has now formally revoked it, leading to this new petition.
In the upcoming hearing, the court will consider whether this decision is constitutional. Meanwhile, uncertainty remains among students and job seekers from the affected community due to the cancellation of the reservation. The next hearing is set for April 2, where the petitioner will need to present their claims robustly.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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