The Maharashtra government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party has officially cancelled the five per cent reservation for Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions, reversing policies introduced in 2014. The decision was formalised through a Government Resolution after earlier ordinances lapsed and remained under court stay. Under the new order, all previous circulars granting benefits to socially and educationally backward Muslim groups under the Special Backward Category have been scrapped, and authorities have stopped issuing caste and non-creamy layer certificates linked to the quota.

The move comes under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, as part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party. Officials argued that since the original ordinance had expired and legal challenges were pending, continuing the quota was not legally sustainable. However, critics say the government had years to defend and implement the policy but chose instead to quietly bury it through administrative action.

Opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, have slammed the decision as openly anti-minority and politically motivated. Leaders accused the ruling coalition of systematically dismantling welfare schemes meant for Muslim communities, including education scholarships and social support programs. They argue that removing the quota will further block already marginalised groups from accessing government employment and higher education, deepening inequality rather than addressing it. With emotions running high and political rhetoric intensifying, the cancellation has now become a flashpoint in Maharashtra’s already volatile social and electoral landscape — and the fallout is only beginning.