BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the Maharashtra government should file a review petition in the Supreme Court to increase the 50 % ceiling on reservation.
Speaking to reporters at the Nagpur airport, he also accused the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of passing the buck on the Maratha quota issue.
His statement comes a day after the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking review of the May 5 majority verdict, which held that the 102nd Constitution amendment took away the power of state governments to declare Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) for grant of quota in jobs and admissions.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had unanimously set aside the Maharashtra law that granted quota to Marathas and had refused to refer 1992 Mandal verdict putting a cap of 50 % on reservation to a larger bench.
Also read: Explained | Why were Marathas granted reservation?
Mr. Fadnavis said, "The central government has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court to reconsider the verdict. However, the state is yet to file a review petition in the SC to increase the 50 % limit of reservation." The Centre had made it clear in the Parliament during the 102nd Constitution amendment that states' rights will stay intact. However, the SC has said that states do not have the right to announce reservation, the former Maharashtra chief minister added.
"The state government is only passing the buck on the Maratha quota issue," he alleged.
The top court had recently struck down the Maharashtra government's decision to exceed 50 % reservation for Maratha community in education and jobs.
