A. MANIKANDAN Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The writ petition has been instituted challenging the orders of the original authority and the appellate authority, rejecting the application submitted by the petitioner seeking community certificate that he belongs to Hindu-Adi-Dravidar Scheduled Caste.

(2.) The petitioner is aged about 32 years. He filed an application before the Tahsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate, Karaikal through online for issuance of community certificate. The Tahsildar, during the course of enquiry, found that the writ petitioner and his family migrated from another State (Tamil Nadu) and do not possess any evidence to prove their residential status at Kottucherry Village, Puducherry prior to 5/3/1964. The Tahsildar, however, considered that the petitioner's father was issued a caste certificate vide Constitution (Puducherry) Scheduled Caste Order, 1964, but now the Village Administrative Officer and Revenue Inspector reported that the petitioner originally belongs to native of Tamil Nadu. Accordingly, the application was rejected.

(3.) The petitioner preferred appeal before the Deputy Collector (Revenue), who in turn also independently considered the details along with the documents produced by the writ petitioner. The appellate authority, considering the enquiry conducted by the Tahsildar with the residents of neighbourhood, noted that the writ petitioner's grandfather late Thiru.Arumugam was not a native of Karaikal District, but from Tamil Nadu. Thereafter, late Thiru.Arumugam had shifted to Karaikal District to live along with his relatives. The petitioner would be eligible for issue of caste certificate as Hindu-Adi-Dravidar if there was proof of residence before 5/3/1964. Since the writ petitioner has not produced any proof, the appeal was rejected.