Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday ratified the Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill, which proposes to extend quota to SC/STs in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by another 10 years. A special one-day session of the state legislature was held to ratify the Constitution Amendment bill, which was passed by Parliament on December 11.
The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the Assembly. Leader of OppositionDevendra Fadnavis supported the resolution.
The joint sitting of both Houses began with an address by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. The draft of his speech was approved by the state Cabinet on Tuesday.
The Constitution Amendment bill, which was passed by Parliament on December 11, has to be ratified by at least 50 per cent of the state assemblies before it is brought into force.
The Centre’s communication to Maharashtra government said the ratification should be done before January 25.
The reservation for members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), given for the past 70 years in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, is due to end on January 25, 2020. The Budget session of the Maharashtra Legislature will begin on February 24