SC refuses to stay HC order on reservation to Marathas; matter to be heard on Mar 17

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (February 5) refused to stay the Bombay High Court order upholding a Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta said the matter has been pending for long and required detailed hearing.

It fixed March 17 to hear at length a batch of pleas filed for and against the Maratha quota. “We are fixing the date of March 17, so that the issue can be heard at length. We are also making it clear that no adjournments will be granted. All replies and counter replies to be filed before the next date of hearing,” the bench said.

At the outset, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for some of the petitioners challenging the quota for Marathas, said the state cannot grant such reservation beyond the set limit.

He sought a stay of the Bombay High Court order which upheld the state law granting quota to Marathas with some modifications.

The bench said on Wednesday it will not hear the matter on merits and to grant any interim reliefs, it needs to hear the pleas at length. It said that there is already an interim order passed by the apex court that any appointments made will be subject to the outcome of the batch of petitions.