The Maharashtra government’s hopes of immediate relief in the OBC quota may have crashed on Tuesday, with its Madhya Pradesh counterpart being asked by the Supreme Court to notify the local body elections within two weeks, pending political reservation, but the verdict gave the MVA an opportunity to ask for a constitutional amendment to have the quota across the country.

According to the court, the OBC quota could be restored only by collating empirical data. The political quota in local bodies is statutory but not constitutional. The states make laws to decide the quantum. Maharashtra has 27 per cent, but it has been disputed. Several other states also faced a similar problem. Maharashtra and the BJP-ruled MP have been for completing a triple test, including gathering or empirical data, for restoring the quota. The court has asked the Maharashtra election body to resume the election process which is expected to take a couple of months before the polling is held post monsoon.