Maharashtra Government Revokes 2014 Ordinance Granting 5% Reservation To Muslims
Maharashtra Government Revokes 2014 Ordinance Granting 5% Reservation To Muslims
Mumbai, February 18, 2026: The Maharashtra government has formally withdrawn the 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education and public employment that was introduced through a 2014 ordinance. The state’s Social Justice Department issued a fresh Government Resolution (GR) cancelling all previous circulars and administrative orders linked to the quota, citing court rulings and the lapse of the ordinance.
The reservation was announced in 2014 by the then Congress–NCP government ahead of the Assembly elections. It proposed a 5 per cent quota for Muslims in admissions to government-run educational institutions and in recruitment to government and semi-government services. Nearly 50 Muslim communities were placed under a newly created Special Backward Class-A (SBC-A) category to implement the policy.
However, the measure faced immediate legal hurdles. On November 14, 2014, the Bombay High Court stayed its implementation. The ordinance was required to be converted into legislation by December 23, 2014, but it was not passed by the legislature and automatically lapsed. As a result, the quota never acquired full legal backing.
Several expert panels in the past had highlighted the socio-economic challenges faced by Muslims and recommended affirmative action. These included the Sachar Committee, the Ranganath Mishra Commission and the Mehmoodur Rehman Committee, which had suggested targeted measures, including reservation benefits. Despite these findings, legal constraints prevented the 2014 proposal from taking effect.
The current administration, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, stated that the latest GR is intended to remove any ambiguity. Officials clarified that since the ordinance was never enacted into law, any actions taken under it do not hold legal validity.
With the new resolution in place, no admissions or appointments will be made under the SBC-A category, and no new caste or caste validity certificates will be issued under the withdrawn quota. The government said the decision formalises a position that had already been settled legally years ago.
