Maharashtra Council passes Bills providing for OBC quota in local bodies

Opposition leaders protesting outside Maharashtra Legislative Council. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The Maharashtra Legislative Council cleared two Bills that provide 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in urban and rural local bodies in the state.

Earlier, the state government had issued ordinances that gave reservations to OBCs in local bodies. The ordinances were later stayed by the Supreme Court. Rural Development Minister Hasan Mushrif tabled the Bills which had been cleared by the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

As a result of the stay granted by the apex court, there would have been virtually no reservation for OBCs in coming local body polls. The opposition BJP and ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance had blamed each other for failing to secure quota for these communities.

On September 23, the state promulgated an ordinance to amend the Maharashtra Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis Act, 1961, and Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act for Zilla Parishads, Panchayat Samiti and Gram Panchayats, to ensure up to 27 per cent quota for OBC candidates.

The ordinance was issued after the apex court struck down a legal provision that granted similar reservation on the ground that it exceeded the 50 per cent ceiling on quota. On October 1, the state promulgated a second ordinance to amend the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, and Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and the Industrial Townships Act.

These three Acts govern urban local bodies. The Bills amend these Acts so that there is 27 per cent quota for OBCs in the forthcoming elections. During a discussion, the BJP's Parinay Phuke said, "This is a political bill and not meant for addressing the issues of OBCs. The government has not given enough funds to OBC Commission for gathering empirical data (which the SC had sought)." The Bills were passed unanimously. They will now be sent to Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari for approval.

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