Maharashtra government will approach SC once panel submits report on OBC quota: Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the state government will approach the Supreme Court once the committee formed to collect empirical data for the OBC quota submits its report to the government next monthNoting that the SC on Wednesday allowed the Madhya Pradesh government to hold local body polls with the OBC quota Pawar said the Maharashtra government has also started taking steps to see if such a decision can be applicable to Maharashtra as wellMaharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the state government should study the Madhya Pradesh Backward Class Commissions final report on the basis of which local body polls were allowed there with OBC quota and that it could serve as a guide for the western stateTalking to reporters here Pawar said the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVAcomprising the Shiv Sena NCP and Congress government will make efforts till the last moment to see that the Other Backward Classes OBCs get representation in the coming local body polls in the stateThe committee formed under former chief secretary Jayant Banthia to collate empirical data of the OBCs is working When it submits its report in June we will present our side before the court Pawar saidThe Maharashtra government will not let the total reservation cross the ceiling of 50 per cent when it tries to ensure political quota for the OBCs he saidWe have started working in that direction We have spoken to the officials concerned They also seemed positive the deputy CM saidThe Maharashtra government has studied the data as submitted by Madhya Pradesh before the Supreme Court he saidThey submitted data on reservation given earlier in the local body polls held therethe Maharashtra government will try till the last moment to see OBCs get representation in the polls Our efforts will go on till the last day of filling form the NCP leader saidAsked about Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patoles allegation that all the MVA partners should have been taken into confidence while drafting the ward structure for the polls to civic bodies Pawar said he did not know how much substance was there in Patoles commentsI dont want to talk more about it he saidWard structuring was done under the State Election Commissions leadership and suggestions and objections were also sought before the panel took a decision on it Pawar saidMeanwhile Congress spokesperson Sawant said Maharashtra should seek the Madhya Pradesh Backward Class Commissions final report on the basis of which local body polls were allowed there with the OBC quotaThis divine report should be sought and studied as it will be a guide for Maharashtra Sawant tweetedHe said the MP Backward Class Commission was set up by the previous Kamal Nath government hence present Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan set up a separate threemember commissionIt doesnt have its own office and staff The first report was prepared on May 5 he said Referring to some media reports Sawant pointed out that this commissions chairman had said more research and investigation work was pendingOn May 10 the Supreme Court refused to see the report saying mere preparation of the first report cannot be regarded as complete compliance with the triple test requirement Sawnat said referring to the court judgementTwo days later the MP government submitted its final report The apex court did not say the report is correct the Congress leader said in a tweet while tagging the SC orderHe claimed that in Madhya Pradesh political circles there is criticism that the survey for OBC population was invisible as the report was not shown to anyoneThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever