 "maratha, quota, maratha protest")
A cabinet sub-committee working on a bill to provide reservation to the Maratha community in Maharashtra was working to ensure it stands legal scrutiny, state Tribal Development Minister Vishnu Savara said Tuesday.
The minister added there was a "possibility" that the bill could be introduced in the house Wednesday itself.
Earlier on Monday, state Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil had said that the bill for providing reservations to the Maratha community would be introduced in the legislature on Thursday.
A source, however, claimed that the sub-committee was finding it difficult to arrive at a consensus on the quota percentage and there was a likelihood of this figure being less than 16 per cent.
The then Congress-NCP government in 2014 had taken a decision to provide 16 per cent reservation for the Maratha community, though it was later stayed by the Bombay High Court in November that year.
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The sub-committee, headed by Revenue Minister Patil, held two marathon meetings on Monday and Tuesday.
Tribal Development Minister Vishnu Savara Tuesday said, "We are working on bringing a legislation to grant quota to the Maratha community. Officials from the Law and Judiciary department and a representative of the state's Attorney General attended the meeting to guide the committee on legal issues."
"We are working ensure it is accepted by the courts. We will bring a new draft bill instead of making amendments in the previous bill passed by the Congress-NCP government," Savara said.
"There are possibilities that we can introduce the bill in the Assembly on Wednesday," said the minister.
Meanwhile, a source said, "The sub-committee was divided on the reservation percentage. It discussed whether to recommend 16 per cent or less. Finally, it was decided to give powers to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to finalise the quota per cent."
Fadnavis Tuesday said the government will grant a separate quota for the Marathas without it affecting existing quota for other groups.
"The government is following all statutory provisions and is working strictly according to the law," said Fadnavis, speaking in the Assembly.
In another development, the BJP's Chief Whip, Raj Purohit, issued a single line whip Tuesday asking all its legislators to remain present in the House over the next three days.
The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature ends on November 30.
