Maharashtra govt to introduce bill on OBC reservations in State legislature on Monday

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 4 (ANI): Maharashtra government is planning to introduce a bill in the State assembly to secure Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation in upcoming local body elections.
Amid continuous protest by the Opposition parties over OBC Reservation in local body elections, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday announced in the council that the state cabinet will approve new legislation ensuring OBC quota in local bodies and this bill will be tabled on Monday in both the Houses of the state legislature.
"Our government is of the view that OBC reservation must be given in local body elections and we all parties must come together for it," said Pawar.
He further said that in today's cabinet meeting, they will hold the discussion on the same and then table this bill on Monday in both the Houses.
"We had asked the details of the bill passed by Madhya Pradesh as a reference and even Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has instructed the chief secretary to go through this bill and today there is a cabinet meeting and we are of the view that in this cabinet meeting we will discuss it and later we will table this bill on Monday in both the Houses," he added.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the government is also looking in yesterday's SC order and what else is required for this bill.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will chair the state cabinet meeting on Friday at 6 pm to discuss the OBC reservation issue.
Earlier in the day, the issue was raked up by the BJP in Maharashtra Assembly, almost three months after the Supreme Court refused to accept the Maharashtra panel's interim report on quota for OBCs in local body polls.
His remark came a day after the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government and State Election Commission (SEC) not to act upon the interim report of Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (SBCC) which recommended a grant of 27 per cent OBC quota in local bodies election and reiterated that election be held without OBC reservation.
It directed the Maharashtra government and the State Election Commission to not act upon the interim report. (ANI)