News Analysis India

Tag: OBC data

  • State must approach SC for OBC data from Centre: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Sunday said the MVA government in the state must appeal in the Supreme Court for directions to the Centre to provide census data of Other Backward Classes (OBC).

    He was addressing a press conference here against the backdrop of the apex court on Saturday saying the state government cannot postpone local bodies polls over OBC reservations, as this power was only with the Election Commission.

    Patole also said all upcoming polls should be held after OBC reservations are restored, so that members of these communities do not suffer any “political loss”. “The state government should appeal in the SC to get the Central government to provide census data of OBCs to Maharashtra. The state OBC commission must also collect empirical data as soon as possible,” Patole said.

    An all-party meeting on August 27 had unanimously agreed to not hold polls till reservations for OBCs in local civic bodies were restored.

    Patole also said he would meet Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the post of advocate general as the incumbent, Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, was appointed by the previous Devendra Fadnavis government. “Traditionally, the advocate general changes when the government changes,” Patole claimed.

  • No polls should be held until OBC data is collected: Devendra Fadnavis

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said elections to local governing bodies in the state should be postponed till empirical data on the OBC population is not available.

    The BJP leader was speaking to reporters after attending an all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the issue.

    The Supreme Court earlier this year quashed quota for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies in Maharashtra after observing that the total reservation should not exceed 50 per cent.

    The state backward class commission should put together empirical data about the OBCs in the next three or four months.

    Till then, no local governing body election should be held.

    All parties have agreed on this,” Fadnavis said.

    Even after data is collected and OBC reservation is restored, there would be an issue in three districts for which a separate policy decision should be taken, the former chief minister said.

    If no decision is taken, there will be no reserved OBC constituency in these three districts, Fadnavis said.

    Asked about the backward class commission seeking Rs 437 crore, the BJP leader said, “The commission does not need such a huge amount immediately.

    Whatever they need now, should be given by the state government.

    Surprisingly, what I am telling the state government is not different from what the Supreme Court had asked it to do.

    There has been a huge delay in restoring the OBC quota,” Fadnavis claimed.

    On Congress MLA Naseem Khan’s demand to include those who migrated to Maharashtra decades ago in OBC quota, he said, “Once the community to which such people belong is included in the state OBC list, then quota can be given.

    ” Chandrashekhar Bavankule, another BJP leader, alleged that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coalition government was dragging its feet on the issue of restoration of OBC quota as a strong lobby within the government was against it.

    “Those who played a crucial role in the formation of this government are now trying to delay the process. They want to keep local governing bodies under their control, the former minister alleged and warned of an agitation on the issue.

  • Maharashtra leaders angry over Centre’s decision to not share OBC data 

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s OBC leaders on Wednesday attacked the Centre over its decision not to share OBC population data with Maharashtra government. The data is being sought to allow the Maharashtra government to determine the quantum of reservation for the OBC community in the local bodies.   

    Vijay Wadettiwar, an OBC leader and a Congress minister in Uddhav Thackeray’s government alleged that the BJP-led Central government does not want the OBCs to get reservations in the local body elections. He called the Centre move “anti-OBC”.

    He said the BJP-led Central government has clarified its stance on the question of OBC reservations in the local bodies. “It is now clear that the BJP is against giving reservations to OBCs in the local bodies,” the Congress minister said.

    The apex court had directed the state government to appoint a commission to determine the population of the OBC communities and their backwardness, based on which quotas can be fixed for them. However, OBC leaders say, this means no seat is going to be reserved for the OBC community in the upcoming local body elections as it would take time for the government to collect population data.  

    “If the state government starts the survey now, it will take time to collect information. Besides, amid the pandemic, it will be difficult to conduct door to door survey. The Centre has data, but don’t want to share it,” NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal said.