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When did state adopt the legislation? In November Two Thousand Eighteen, the Maratha community was given the reservation under the Maharashtra State Socially and Educational Backward Act. The special act was sanctioned by Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission and approved in both the assembly and council. The emphasis on legislation was to give reservation under SEBC, a legal and constitutional validity. The legislation proposed by then BJP-Sena government got unanimous support from then opposition parties Congress and NCP. However, the reservation under SEBC was challenged by a PIL in Bombay High Court. The Bombay High Court while upholding the reservation pointed that instead of Sixteen per cent it should be reduced to Twelve per cent in education and Thirteen per cent in jobs. Accordingly, the Act was implemented with Maratha students availing the quota in educational institutions and jobs. In September Nine, Twenty-Twenty the Maratha reservation confronted another hurdle as Supreme Court stayed its implementation and refer the case to Chief Justice of India for larger bench. It meant Marathas could not avail quota benefits either in education or jobs till the final verdict came out. But those who had availed the quota benefit till date remained unaffected. The Supreme Court has on May Five quashed the reservation. What will be its impact socio-political of the order? Marathas, who constitute Thirty-Two per cent of state population, are a major political force to reckon with in Maharashtra. The discontent amongst the community is likely to manifest once again. The divide between rich and poor Marathas could manifest in new form of politics and protests. The complex reservation politics had set the process of polarisation between Marathas versus OBCs. With SC’s order, it is likely to sharpen the divide on reservation. What are the challenges before Maha Vikas Aghadi government? The foremost task before the government is to substantiate its commitment to reservation for the Maratha community. All three parties Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena are in favour of Maratha quota. The sub committee for Maratha reservation headed by Ashok Chavan has maintained they had recruited the country’s best lawyers to plead their case in SC. The state government will not give up. It will explore all options to restore quota. In Two Thousand Nineteen Assembly Elections, the NCP swung the battle to its side by striking an emotive chord with Marathas. Retaining the support base without quota will be an uphill task.