Nagpur: The Maharashtra Assembly today passed a bill providing 16 per cent reservation for the Maratha community in education and government jobs but it left out the Muslims, leading to a vociferous protest by the opposition.

The previous Congress-NCP government had introduced 16 per cent reservations for Marathas and five per cent reservations for Muslims. The Bombay High Court, while hearing a PIL opposing it, had stayed the government's decision pending further hearing.