Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently sought to underline this delicate balance. “The law stands operative pending judicial review," he told a press conference, reminding Maratha protestors that their demand has been addressed legislatively, even if the judiciary still has the final word. His words capture the essence of Maharashtra’s reservation battle over the past decade — laws have been passed, hopes have been raised, and then courtrooms have brought everything back to square one.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government under Devendra Fadnavis (2014–2019) was the first to take the Maratha agitation head-on. Facing massive rallies across the state, including the silent but powerful “muk-morcha" processions, the Fadnavis administration relied on the Justice Gaikwad Commission report, which concluded that Marathas were indeed socially and educationally backward. In November 2018, the state passed the SEBC Act, carving out a new category and awarding Marathas 16 per cent reservation.

The Bombay High Court in June 2019 partly upheld the law, trimming the quota to 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in jobs. For Marathas, this was a partial victory, and the government rushed to implement it, with thousands receiving admissions and jobs under the quota. But the celebrations were short-lived. In May 2021, the Supreme Court struck down the law, delivering a stinging blow to both the government and the community. The Court held that the state had failed to demonstrate “extraordinary circumstances" that would justify breaching the 50 per cent ceiling on caste quotas imposed by the landmark Indra Sawhney judgment of 1992. It also pointed out that after the 102nd Constitutional Amendment, states no longer had unfettered powers to identify SEBCs independently. The verdict left........

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