Tue May 27 11:12:57 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal criticized the Banthia Commission report on OBC reservation, citing flawed methodology and inaccuracies. He claims the report, submitted under pressure from the Supreme Court, underestimated the OBC population in Maharashtra and was conducted hastily. Bhujbal alleges the commission’s methodology, used to determine OBC reservation percentages for local body elections, was deeply flawed and based on incomplete data. He highlighted discrepancies in the reported OBC population across districts, suggesting the commission’s data collection methods were unreliable. Despite submitting the report to the Supreme Court at the time, Bhujbal says he disagreed with its findings and expressed concerns to the then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He believes a future caste census will provide more accurate data, ultimately validating the need for higher OBC representation.

**News Article:**

**Maharashtra Minister Slams Banthia Commission Report on OBC Reservation**

**Mumbai, May 27, 2025:** Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal has launched a scathing critique of the Banthia Commission report on OBC (Other Backward Classes) reservation, questioning its accuracy and methodology. His statement comes days after the Supreme Court allowed Maharashtra local body elections to proceed without the commission’s recommendations.

Bhujbal claims the report, submitted in 2022, significantly underestimated the OBC population across the state. He cited specific examples, including instances where villages with known OBC populations were reported as having none. “Within one month, is it possible that sitting at home, sitting in air-conditioned places, can you have the caste census all over Maharashtra?” he asked.

The Minister alleges that the commission’s data collection methods were flawed, leading to inaccurate conclusions about the OBC population in certain regions. He further revealed that he had raised concerns about the report with the then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray but was compelled to submit it to the Supreme Court to avoid elections with zero OBC reservation.

“I don’t agree with the Banthia Commission report,” Bhujbal asserted, emphasizing that a future caste census, as declared by the Prime Minister, would provide a clearer picture of the OBC population and justify higher reservation percentages. While the government will not withdraw the report, Bhujbal said it would not matter as the nine-member Bench’s judgment in the Indira Sawhney case would stand valid.

This development is likely to fuel further debate about OBC reservation in Maharashtra, particularly in the context of the upcoming local body elections.

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