PIL in HC against Maharashtra govt's move to grant Kunbi caste certificates to Marathas

A PIL challenges the Maharashtra government's decision to grant Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members, affecting OBC reservation.

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government's move to grant Kunbi caste certificates to the Maratha community members in the State.

The PIL, filed on January 30 by one Mangesh Sasane, who claims to be the chairman of the 'OBC Welfare Foundation', said the State government by granting Kunbi certificates to the Maratha community was "eating into" the reservation of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

The petition is likely to come up for hearing on February 6, as per the HC's website.

The plea challenges five government resolutions issued from 2004 permitting the Marathas to seek Kunbi caste certificates.

"Earlier, the process of granting Kunbi certificates to Marathas was difficult but with every agitation, the process was made easier. This was just to facilitate the Marathas (for reservation)," the petitioner's advocate Ashish Mishra claimed.

The petition said that in 2021, the Supreme Court declared the Maharashtra government's decision granting reservation to Maraths as unconstitutional.

"Now the government, by permitting the Marathas to get Kunbi certificate and enjoy reservation benefits, is giving them backdoor entry," Mr. Mishra claimed.