Dedicated Commision for Reservation for Backward Class of Citizens in Local Bodies of Maharashtra

Hon. Supreme Court in the case of Vikas Kisanrao Gawali Vs. State of Maharashtra [Writ Petition (Civil) No. 980 of 2019], by its order dated the 4th March 2021, in para 12, directed the State Government to set up a dedicated Commission to conduct contemporaneous rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness qua local bodies with respect to the Backward Class of Citizens (Other Backward Classes) within the State

And whereas, the Government of Maharashtra, considers it expedient to constitute a dedicated Commission for the said purpose

Now, therefore, the Government of Maharashtra hereby constitutes a dedicated Commission under the Chairmanship of Shri. Jayant Kumar Banthia, Ex-Chief Secretary, State of Maharashtra consisting of the following members

Sr. No.	Name	Designation
1	Shri Jayant Kumar Banthia, Ex-Chief Secretary, State of Maharashtra.	Chairman
2	Sh. K. S. James, Director or his representative, International Institute of Population Studies	Member
3	Dr. Shaileshkumar Darokar, Associate Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences	Member
4	Shri. H.B. Patel, Retired Principal Secretary (Legislation), Law and Judiciary Department	Member
5	Shri. Mahesh Zagade, Retired IAS Officer	Member
6	Shri Naresh Gite, Retired IAS Officer	Member

Shri Pankaj Kumar, Managing Director, Maharashtra Fisheries Development Corporation shall be the Member-Secretary of the said Commission.

The said Commission shall be entrusted with the following functions.—

Terms of reference

1. To conduct the contemporaneous rigorous empirical inquiry into nature and implications of the political backwardness qua local bodies in the State of Maharashtra.

2. To ascertain rural and urban local body-wise proportion of population of Backward Class of Citizens to the total population, on the basis of records, reports, surveys and other available data and also to submit a report with its recommendations to the State Government as per the directions given by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its orders in the W.P. No. 980 of 2019, SLP No. 19756/2021 and W.P. No. 141/2022

3. To submit its report to the State Government, within the period of three months or such other period as may be extended by the State Government.”.

Further that Commission may,—

(a) take the assistance from various organizations, institutions or individuals for obtaining such information or statistics as it may consider necessary or relevant for its purpose, in such form and manner as they may think appropriate, from the Central and State Government Offices, public sector undertakings, establishments, Universities and other institutions and such other authorities;

(b) avail advice of experts and researchers by holding meetings with them and also get assistance of recognized research institutions as and when necessary for analysis of the empirical data and also for the efficient and effective functioning of the Commission ; and

(c) arrange study tours to visit the various areas in the State of Maharashtra or in other States in India to achieve the above objectives.