Overview

• A bench of the Bombay High Court rejected advocate Vinit Dhotre’s petition against the September 2 government resolution that permits entries from the 1918 Hyderabad Gazette to establish Kunbi lineage for Marathas.
• Multiple petitions challenging the resolution remain pending, while the court’s dismissal questioned the maintainability of Dhotre’s PIL.
• Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has defended the policy as limited to those who can prove Kunbi ancestry and insisted the OBC quota will not be altered.
• OBC leaders, including minister Chhagan Bhujbal, have urged the government to withdraw or amend the resolution, warning it could dilute opportunities for over 350 OBC communities.
• Reservation demands have escalated from Dhangar, Banjara, and Koli groups citing historical records, and opposition leaders have accused the government of stoking social divisions.