The Maharashtra government has told the Bombay High Court that the Constitution does not allow reservations based solely on religion, as it opposed a petition challenging the scrapping of a 5% education quota for around 50 backward Muslim communities classified under the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) category. The state filed an affidavit stating that the February 17, 2026 Government Resolution (GR), which eliminated the quota, was justified because the July 2014 ordinance had lapsed without being replaced by valid legislation. The government contends that the petition lacks enforceable legal rights and is based on generalized assertions. The petition, filed by advocate Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi, argues that the scrapping of the quota is discriminatory and unconstitutional, as it prevents backward Muslim communities from fair representation in education and administration. The court has scheduled the matter for further consideration on May 4.