Bombay High Court refuses to stop Maratha quota march from entering Mumbai

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to restrain Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange-Patil from entering Mumbai with his supporters on January 26, reported Live Law.

The Maratha community’s long-standing demand for reservations in education and government jobs resurfaced last year with protests and hunger strikes by Jarange-Patil. The agitation has witnessed violence, suicides and the resignation of legislators.

In his most recent effort to press for reservations, Jarange-Patil began a Maratha Aarakshan Morcha, or the Maratha reservation march, to Mumbai from his village Antarwali Sarati in Jalna district on January 20. Thousands of supporters have joined him en route, reported PTI.

The march is likely to reach Mumbai on January 26. The activist has asked his supporters to prepare for a long sit-in protest in the city, where he will begin another indefinite hunger strike, according to The Indian Express.

On Wednesday, a division bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Shyam Chandak was hearing a plea by one Gunratan Sadavarte, who sought the court to restrain Jarange-Patil’s march to enter Mumbai citing law and order problems.

The bench, however, said that the state government has the power to take action to ensure there is no law and order problem and that the city roads are not blocked due to the march. It posted...

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