Bombay High Court Declines Interim Stay on Maharashtra Government’s Kunbi Caste Certificate GR

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant an interim stay on petitions challenging the implementation of the Maharashtra government’s decision to issue Kunbi caste certificates to Maratha community members who can prove their OBC antecedents. The plea was filed by members of the Other Backward Class (OBC) communities claiming that the certificates would lead to their induction in the OBC category, PTI reported.  

The petitions were filed by Kunbi Sena, Maharashtra Mali Samaj Mahasangh, Ahir Suvarnkar Samaj Sanstha, Sadanad Mandalik, and Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal.

One of the petitioners had sought a stay on the implementation for interim relief. A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad said that it was not inclined to grant any interim relief and noted that the issue could be decided only after a response was sought from the government.

"We are at this stage not elaborating upon the issues raised by the petitioners and would hence decline to grant any interim relief," the bench said.

The court has asked the state government to file an affidavit replying to the petitions. Advocate General Birendra Saraf, arguing for the government that the petitioners are not the aggrieved persons and it does not affect them. 

The high court posted the matters for further hearing after four weeks.

The government issued the decision after a five-day long protest by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. The petitioners argued that the resolution was “vague” and would result in “utter chaos”. 

With PTI inputs