The Maharashtra government on Tuesday formally announced the formation of village-level committees to issue Kunbi caste certificates to eligible members of the Maratha community, marking a major step towards addressing the long-pending demand of reservation activist Manoj Jarange Patil.
A Government Resolution (GR) issued by the Social Justice Department stated that the committees will verify claims based on archival land and revenue records, particularly those cited in the historic Hyderabad Gazetteer of 1918. The gazette, issued during the Nizam era in Hyderabad State, recognized Marathas as socially and educationally backward and entitled them to reservation benefits.
Composition of the Committees
According to the GR, each committee will comprise a Gram Sevak, a Talathi (revenue officer), and an Assistant Agriculture Officer. They will scrutinize documentary evidence submitted by Maratha applicants and submit their findings to the competent authority for the issuance of Kunbi certificates.
Eligibility Criteria for Certificates
The resolution specifies that persons from the Maratha community—or their ancestors—who held agricultural land prior to November 21, 1961, must produce supporting records such as old land extracts and revenue registers. Based on these records, the committees will conduct local enquiries and certify the claimants.
“In accordance with the historical references contained in the Hyderabad Gazetteer, a dedicated scrutiny process shall be conducted to verify documents and establish the eligibility of persons from the Maratha community for Kunbi caste certificates. The committee shall ensure that every claim is assessed in a time-bound and transparent manner,” the GR states.
Government Clarification
The government clarified that the intention is to grant Kunbi caste certification to all Marathas who can demonstrate their lineage through official records, enabling them to lawfully avail of reservation benefits in government jobs and education.
Jarange Welcomes Implementation of Hyderabad Gazetteer
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who recently ended his five-day hunger strike, welcomed the decision. Speaking to the media, he said, “We had demanded immediate implementation of the Hyderabad Gazetteer. The government has now approved it and issued a GR. Ministers assured us that if this proposal was acceptable to us, they would formalize it immediately. The sub-committee has decided that wherever Maratha families, relatives, or clans have Kunbi certificates, local enquiries will be conducted, and eligible Marathas will be given certificates. This is a big victory for our community.”
A ‘Historic Moment’ for Marathas
Jarange described the government’s acceptance of the Hyderabad Gazetteer as a “historic moment for Marathas,” noting that it would benefit families in Marathwada, Western Maharashtra, and beyond.
