Supreme Court blocks Maharashtra from exceeding 50% reservation in local polls, citing constitutional limits.

The Supreme Court warned Maharashtra not to exceed the 50% constitutional reservation limit in upcoming local body elections, threatening to halt the polls if the cap is breached. The court directed that current reservation levels remain unchanged pending a full hearing on November 19, cautioning against relying on the unverified Banthia Commission report to expand OBC quotas. It issued notices on petitions alleging some constituencies have reservation levels as high as 70%, reaffirming that no bench can exceed the 50% ceiling, which is constitutionally binding.