Wed Sep 03 04:30:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Bombay High Court Orders Maratha Reservation Protest Leaders to Address Property Damage Claims**

**Mumbai, India –** The Bombay High Court has directed Manoj Jarange, leader of the recent Maratha reservation protest in Mumbai, and its organizers to file an affidavit responding to allegations of extensive damage to public property during the demonstration. The court’s order came amidst a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) addressing the significant disruption and inconvenience caused to the public by the protests.

Jarange and his supporters have been demanding a 10% reservation for the Maratha community in government jobs and education under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, staging a hunger strike at Azad Maidan.

During Wednesday’s hearing, a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Aarti Sathe questioned Jarange and the Maharashtra Government about the widespread damage allegedly caused by protestors.

Senior Advocate Satish Maneshinde, representing Jarange, denied the allegations, claiming the photos presented were outdated. Justice Sathe countered, highlighting evidence of injured police officers.

The court granted Jarange and the organizers eight weeks to file their affidavit. This follows sharp criticism from the court on Tuesday regarding the continued protest at Azad Maidan, despite a previous order to vacate the site. The court had also suggested the state government could have forcefully cleared the area.

The case, titled AMY Foundation v. State of Maharashtra and Ors. (Public Interest Litigation (L) No. 25656 of 2025), continues to be heard in the Bombay High Court. The court will review the affidavit and further address the issue of public property damage at the next hearing.

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