The Bombay High Court (HC) on Wednesday said it would commence a fresh hearing of the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the law granting reservation to the Maratha community from July 18, news agency PTI reported.

An interim order passed last year — which stipulated that applications for admissions to educational institutions or appointments to government posts availing benefits under the disputed legislation would be subject to further orders — will remain in force.

A special bench comprising Justices Ravindra Ghuge, NJ Jamadar, and Sandeep Marne was constituted in May to decide on the public interest litigations and petitions linked to the Maharashtra State Reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act, 2024.