SIDDHI SUHAS SHEWALE Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule. Learned AGP for the respondent nos.1 and 2 waives service. By consent of parties, petition is heard finally.

(2.) By this petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners have impugned the order dated 15th November 2021 passed by the respondent no.2 committee with further direction to verify the caste certificates of the petitioners on merits in accordance with law.

(3.) It is the case of the petitioners that forefathers of the petitioners originally hails from Pune District where great grandfather namely Gopinath Kashinath Shewale was residing on rent at Bunglow No.219/B, Shivaji Nagar, Pune. Fathers of the petitioners had been granted caste certificates by the Tahsildar and Executive Magistrate at Pune on 29th November 1985 and 14th July 1987 as belonging to Halba, Scheduled Tribe. Accordingly, the respondent no.2 committee had granted caste validity certificates in favour of fathers of the petitioners on 28th June 2000 and 20th August 2016 in pursuance to the orders passed by this Court. The petitioners had been granted a caste certificate by the Deputy Collector, Pune on 5th January 2011 and 30th April 2017 respectively. The petitioners had applied to the respondent no.2 committee for verification of their caste certificates for their education purpose. Upon submitting proposals, the respondent no.2 committee called the vigilance cell report in case of the petitioners on 13th October 2021 however, at the verge of admission process, the respondent no.2 passed an order dated 15th November 2021 cancelling caste certificates of the petitioners on the ground that the petitioners should obtain their caste certificates from their present place of residence.