India, May 1 -- The "Constitution does not envisage granting of reservation solely on the basis of religion", the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, opposing a petition that challenges scrapping of 5% reservation in education for around 50 backward Muslim communities classified under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category.

The state government on Wednesday filed an affidavit opposing a petition, challenging the February 17, 2026 GR by which the 5% quota was scrapped, stating that the GR was issued because the July 2014 ordinance had lapsed on December 23, 2014, without it being replaced into a valid legislation and that the new GR does not invalidate any reservation for Muslims alread...