- A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court referred a group of petitions challenging the Maratha reservation law to a Constitution Bench.
- The court said the Maratha quota, meanwhile, will not apply for admissions and appointments made in the State for 2020-21.
- However, the postgraduate admissions which have already been made will be left unaltered.
- The three-judge Bench led by Justice Rao had reserved orders on pleas to refer the case to a larger Bench.
- Some of the senior lawyers had even sought the formation of an 11-judge Bench to re-consider the judicial law of 50% cap on reservations in appointments and admissions.
- The appeals challenging the Maratha quota law contend that the statute provides 12 to 13% quota for the community in Maharashtra.
- This has breached the 50% cap declared by a nine-judge Bench of the apex court in 1992.
- Lawyers had submitted that the court should take into consideration recent developments like the 10% quota for economically weaker sections introduced through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment.
- They said the Act overstepped the constitutional limitations contained in the 102nd Amendment to the Constitution.
- The Amendment said reservation can be granted only if a particular community is named in the Presidential list.
