The Maharashtra government has officially scrapped the 5% reservation for backward Muslim communities in education. This came through an order that ended the process of issuing caste verification certificates. The reservation, announced in 2014 by Ajit Pawar's government, was never fully implemented due to legal hurdles and the ordinance lapsing in December 2014. Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan questioned the government’s move. Speaking with The Hindu on February 18, 2026, he asked, “Is his party not standing for Muslim reservation anymore?” He noted the cancellation came soon after Ajit Pawar’s death. Congress leader Amin Patel called it a lost battle but stressed the importance of Muslim reservation in education for nation-building. Patel had raised the issue multiple times in the Assembly, and the High Court had shown a positive stance on it. The reservation issue began in 2009 when the Maharashtra government formed a committee to study Muslim backwardness. Based on its 2013 report, the government issued an ordinance in 2014 to reserve 5% for backward Muslim communities under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category. However, the Bombay High Court challenged and scrapped similar Maratha reservations and revoked the Muslim job reservations, while recommending education reservations for Muslims. Despite this, the BJP-led government did not pass the necessary law before the ordinance expired. Prithviraj Chavan criticized the BJP for spreading false narratives, stating, “It is not religion-based. Just like the Mandal commission looked at backward classes within Hindus, this looked at backward classes within Muslims.” He demanded that the BJP bring the law now or face Congress action if it returns to power. Currently, the 5% reservation for backward Muslim communities in Maharashtra stands canceled, disappointing many who had hoped for its implementation after more than a decade of delay.