Prakash Singh
Mumbai, February 18, 2026 — In a major policy decision, the Government of Maharashtra today formally cancelled its defunct order issued in 2014 on granting reservations to some sections of Muslim community in admission to educational institutions and government jobs. Maharastra’s Social Justice Department has issued a fresh Government Resolution (GR) formally withdrawing its earlier order that granted a 5 % reservation to the Muslim community in educational institutions and government and semi-government jobs. The move brings clarity to a policy that has been legally non-operational for more than a decade.
The 5 % quota was originally introduced in July 2014 by the Congress-NCP Government at fag end of its tenure before state Assembly elections. Prithiviraj Chavan (Congress) Government came out with the 5% reservation, through a state ordinance that classified certain Muslim groups under the newly created Special Backward Class-A (SBC-A) category, making them eligible for reservation in admissions and recruitment. However, the ordinance was challenged in courts, and the Bombay High Court stayed its implementation shortly thereafter.
Since the ordinance was not converted into law by the state legislature before the deadline, it automatically lapsed, and subsequent judicial interventions — including Supreme Court action — effectively rendered the quota non-operational.
Despite this, the original Government Resolution remained on the state’s record. The latest GR formally cancels those previous orders and also declares all related decisions, circulars, and communications issued under the 2014 policy null and void. As a result:
- No further admissions will be granted under the now-cancelled 5 % reservation category.
- No new caste certificates or caste validity certificates will be issued under the SBC-A classification.
Government officials have described the move as largely administrative and procedural, aimed at aligning official records with the prevailing legal position that the quota has not been in effect for years.
Political Reactions Emerge
The decision has drawn political criticism. The Indian National Congress and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Maharashtra condemned the cancellation, describing it as a setback to the rights of the Muslim community and accusing the state administration of failing to uphold the promise of affirmative action. Party leaders argued that instead of addressing socio-economic backwardness, the move merely formalises what was already a legal reality.
Conversely, supporters of the decision within the state administration have maintained that the latest GR simply reflects the legal status quo and does not introduce new policy changes, given that the original ordinance had long ceased to have force.
As the issue unfolds, both legal experts and political parties are likely to monitor further developments and public responses to the state’s formal cancellation of the controversial reservation policy.
