Shortly before the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra is due to receive the survey report on whether the Maratha community is backward, it has removed one of its members, retired judge Chandralal Meshram, from his post as a member of the Maharashtra State Backward Class Commission (MSBCC). Meshram had three months left to complete his three-year term. While the government has not assigned a reason for his removal, Meshram believes it could be because it did not want to receive his feedback on possible technical lacunae in the survey.
Meshram had earlier objected to the newly constituted MSBCC’s change in criteria on the definition of “backward class” and also its change in the questionnaire for the survey. He also questioned how the state government announced a special assembly session on February 20 to discuss Maratha reservation when it had not yet received the survey report from MSBCC. Meshram, who has been removed from the MSBCC with three months of his tenure remaining, clarified that he was not against quota for Marathas and had never expressed an opinion on the issue. He stated that he had always tried to ensure that technical and legal defects are avoided as pointed out by the apex court.
Meshram expressed his belief that the state government or MSBCC chairperson did not want to bring on record the technical lacunae in the Maratha survey and hence removed him from the commission. He mentioned that once the MSBCC chairman, retired judge Sunil Shukre, sent the survey report to members, he would have given his feedback. Meshram highlighted that besides the chairperson, he is the only other person with a legal background in the commission.
Over the last few months, five members of the 10-member MSBCC, including former chairperson retired Justice Anand Nirgude, have resigned, mainly citing interference by the government. They have all been replaced with members from the open category, according to Meshram. The survey report is intended to support the state’s case for Maratha quota in its curative petition before the Supreme Court. Additionally, the report will form the basis for legislation providing for a quota in the special session of the state assembly on February 20.
Meshram mentioned that he had objected in writing to MSBCC, headed by Shukre, during its first meeting in December 2023 when it changed the criteria for defining a backward class as well as the survey questionnaire. He argued that the criteria and questionnaire approved by the earlier MSBCC, headed by Nirgude, were correct. However, he was outnumbered by the majority opinion.
Meshram pointed out flaws in the survey conducted by Gokhale Institute for Politics and Economics for MSBCC. He stated that the survey lacked authenticity and accuracy of information, and there was no way to cross-check what people were saying. He added that surveying 2.5 crore families in 11 days was not practical. Meshram also revealed that MSBCC had considered issuing a show-cause notice to the institute for delays in testing and providing an app for the survey, as well as shortages in training staff.
