Maharashtra Withdraws 5% Muslim Quota, Opposition Slams Move as Anti-Minority

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : The Maharashtra government has formally withdrawn the five per cent reservation earlier granted to Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions, sparking strong reactions from opposition parties that have accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government of pursuing an “anti-minority” agenda.

The decision was communicated through a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Tuesday, following the lapse of the ordinance that had provided for the quota and the continuation of an interim stay on related matters. The quota had its origins in an ordinance promulgated in 2014 by the then Congress–NCP government, which had proposed 16 per cent reservation for Marathas and five per cent for Muslims under the Special Backward Category (SBC).

According to the latest GR, all earlier decisions, circulars and the ordinance linked to the five per cent reservation for socially and educationally backward Muslims in government and semi-government employment, as well as in educational institutions, have been cancelled. The order also makes it clear that caste certificates and non-creamy layer certificates under the Special Backward Category will no longer be issued to Muslims, effectively ending the administrative framework that supported the quota.

The ruling dispensation, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party under the Mahayuti alliance, has justified the move by pointing to legal and procedural constraints, including the expiry of the ordinance and the interim judicial stay. However, opposition leaders argue that the government has chosen to roll back the policy instead of pursuing a legal route to safeguard it.

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad described the decision as “harmful to democracy” and warned that it would further marginalise the Muslim community. She alleged that by cancelling earlier procedures and documentation mechanisms, the government was blocking access to reservation benefits.

“On one hand, the BJP speaks of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ and on the other, it is shutting doors by cancelling procedures under the pretext of court stays and the lapse of an ordinance,” Gaikwad said. She also pointed out that the Bombay High Court had upheld the five per cent reservation in education for Muslims, but the state government had failed to ensure its full and consistent implementation.

Gaikwad further demanded clarity on the position of the ruling allies, particularly Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, questioning whether they supported the withdrawal or intended to oppose it within the coalition.

Former Congress leader Naseem Khan termed the government’s action “extremely wrong” and said it would deprive minorities of opportunities to integrate into the development process. He recalled that the Congress–NCP government had introduced the ordinance in 2014, but subsequent governments did not pursue the policy with seriousness.

“Even after interim relief was granted for the five per cent educational reservation, there was no sincere effort to ensure its implementation,” Khan alleged. He noted that while the quota was briefly implemented during the 2014–15 academic year, it was later discontinued despite repeated assurances from successive administrations.

Khan also claimed that several welfare schemes for minorities launched by the earlier Congress-led government had since been scrapped. He argued that minorities in Maharashtra include not only Muslims but also Jains, Sikhs and Parsis, and urged the state to adopt a more inclusive development approach instead of rolling back affirmative action measures.

Adding to the criticism, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the decision reflected poorly on the BJP’s claims of inclusivity. He alleged that the move showed the ruling party did not value Muslim representation even within its own ranks and among its allies.

As political reactions continue to mount, the withdrawal of the Muslim quota has once again brought the contentious issue of reservations, minority rights and social justice to the centre of Maharashtra’s political discourse, with the debate expected to intensify in the days ahead.