Maha legislature session on Jan 8 to ratify SC/ST Quota Bill

Mumbai: A special one-day session of the Maharashtra legislature will be held on January 8 to ratify the Constitution (126th) Amendment bill, which proposes to extend quota to SC/STs in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by another 10 years.

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, state government sources said on Monday. 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.