Maharashtra govt to make law to give 5 per cent reservation to Muslims in education: Nawab Malik

Maharashtra's Minority Affairs Minister, Nawab Malik on Friday announced that a law will be made to give reservation to Muslims in educational institutions in the state.

"High Court had given its nod to give five per cent reservation to Muslims in government educational institutions. The last government did not take any action on it. So we have announced that we will implement the High Court's order in the form of law as soon as possible," Malik said.

He said, "In 2014, after the Congress NCP government had given five per cent reservation to the Muslim community through an ordinance, the case went to the Bombay high court against the reservation but the High Court ordered that 5 per cent reservation shall continue to Muslims in jobs and education in the state."

He further said, "The ordinance which was brought by the UPA government in 2014 lapsed in December 2014 during the BJP Government but the previous BJP government did not do anything on that."

"We have announced that as per the High Court's order we will give reservation to the Muslim community in education soon by making a law," said Malik.

"And for reservation in jobs, we will be taking legal opinion on how we can make a law for the same. There are demands to bring in the law in this session itself as the academic year starts in June, so surely the government will try to make the law as soon as possible," he added.