PRADEEP RAMCHANDRA KOLI Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The question as to whether the applicant i.e. petitioner herein belongs to Mahadeo Koli, Scheduled Tribe, once again comes before us by way of this petition.

(2.) By way of this petition filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner has challenged the order of the Caste Scrutiny Committee dated 22nd January, 2003 by which order the Caste Scrutiny Committee has invalidated the caste claim of the petitioner as belonging to Mahadeo Koli, Scheduled Tribe.

(3.) 1 The petitioner claims to belong to be Mahadeo Koli, which is notified as a Scheduled Tribe under the Presidential Notification issued under Article 342 (1) of the Constitution of India. The father of the petitioner was granted a caste certificate by the Mamlatdar, Gadhinglaj, District Kolhapur on 24 th September, 1956. It appears one Bhangari Lagama Koli, uncle of the petitioner, was also granted caste certificate by the Additional District Magistrate, Kolhapur on 11 th September, 1956. The petitioner, probably relying upon the certificates granted to his father and uncle, applied for a caste certificate as belonging to Mahadeo Koli, Scheduled Tribe, which was granted to the petitioner by the Respondent No.4 herein on 8th September, 1977.