Uddhav Thackeray addressing the people via video conference. (Screengrab)

Three days after the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of Maratha reservation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the state will raise the matter again before the apex court and appealed to the public against holding protests.

“All of us were personally monitoring this case and speaking to law experts on this. We did not fall short in our arguments. We will go to court again for this,” the chief minister said while addressing the people through video conferencing.

“I spoke to Opposition leader (Devendra Fadnavis) who is in Bihar right now. He has also assured me that he is with the government on this,” Thackeray added.

He also appealed to the public to avoid any protests on the issue.

“I want to tell the public that they can protest but this is their government, we are with you there is no need to come on the roads. We are putting your voice to the courts,” he added.

A three-judge bench of the apex court on Wednesday referred to a Constitution Bench the question whether states have the power to exceed the 50 per cent reservation limit.

Pointing out that any departure from the 50 per cent ceiling rule for reservation was permissible only in “extraordinary situations”, the top court had said that it is of the “prima facie opinion that the State of Maharashtra has not shown any extraordinary situation for providing reservations to Marathas in excess of 50 per cent”.

The court said that it raises a “substantial question of law” on interpretation of Articles 338-B and 342-A, inserted by Constitution (102nd Amendment) Act, 2018.

The apex court, however, made it clear that the status of those who have availed of the benefits will not be disturbed.

Meanwhile, the state government withdrew its circular it had issued on Friday asking universities and educational institutions to cancel the admission process “in case Maratha reservation has already been applied for the admission for the academic year 2020-21”.

A fresh circular issued by the department on Saturday clarified that the earlier instructions were withdrawn as it is awaiting instructions from the Chief Minister’s Office.

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