Writ Petition No. 1796 of 2022 · Bombay High Court
Case Details
1 1796.22WP IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO. 1796 OF 2022 [WITH CIVIL APPLICATION STAMP NO.3930 OF 2022] Prathamesh s/o. Santosh Nikam, Age-18 Years, Occ. Education, R/o. Gurudatta Housing Society, Harsul, Aurangabad. .. PETITIONER 1] 2] VERSUS State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, Mumbai 8th Floor, New Excelsior, A.K.Nayak Marg, Fort, Mumbai Through its Commissioner and Competent Authority. Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Aurangabad region, Aurangabad Through its Member Secretary. .. RESPONDENTS … Mr.Sagar S. Phatale, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr.A.S.Shinde, AGP for the respondent–State. Mr.S.N.Lale Yelwatkar, Advocate for intervener. … CORAM : S.V.GANGAPURWALA & S.G.DIGE, JJ. DATE : 08.02.2022 2 1796.22WP JUDGMENT Per : S.G.Dige, J. : 1] Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. With the consent of both the sides, heard finally at admission stage. 2] Being aggrieved by the impugned order passed by respondent no.2 – Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Aurangabad [hereinafter referred to as ‘the Scrutiny Committee’], thereby invalidating the tribe claim of the petitioner as belonging to ‘Thakur’ Scheduled Tribe. The petitioner has approached this Court by invoking writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. . 3] The brief facts of the case are as under: On 04.09.2018, the Competent Authority had issued the caste certificate to the petitioner of ‘Thakur’ Scheduled Tribe. The caste certificate of the petitioner was referred through the College to respondent no.2 – Caste Scrutiny Committee for verification. The Scrutiny Committee referred caste claim of the petitioner to vigilance cell. The vigilance cell conducted enquiry and submitted its report to the Scrutiny Committee. The Scrutiny Committee called say of the petitioner to the vigilance report. The petitioner had submitted reply to the vigilance report. The 3 1796.22WP petitioner has submitted documents in respect of school record of the forefathers showing the caste as ‘Thakur’ and also produced record of caste validities issued to his close blood relatives. However, the caste Scrutiny Committee invalidated the tribe claim of the petitioner by impugned order dated 08.12.2021. Against said order, this petition. 4]
Legal Reasoning
petitioner, hence we are of the view that the finding of the Scrutiny Committee in respect of petitioner failed to prove his claim through documentary evidence is erroneous. 12] The Scrutiny Committee in the order has observed that the close blood relatives of petitioner has obtained caste validities by suppressing material facts. There 11 1796.22WP are more than 30 caste validities of ‘Thakur’ caste, are issued to the close blood relatives of the petitioner. While granting caste validities to close blood relatives of petitioner, all aspects were considered. The reliance can be placed on the judgment in the case of Apoorva d/o Vinay Nichale Vs. Divisional Caste Scrutiny Committee and others [supra] and in the case of Anita Atmaram Gaikwad Vs. State of Maharashtra & others in Special Leave to Appeal [Civil] No.23081/2010 [Civil Appeal No.3881/2013] wherein it has been observed that the caste validity certificate issued in favour of close blood relative that too by following due procedure cannot be discarded by the Committee as it is substantive documentary evidence. 13] The Scrutiny Committee has observed that petitioner has failed in affinity test. The old entries of the year 1951 and 1953 and thereafter subsequent entries show petitioner’s close blood relatives caste as ‘Thakur’. Affinity test is not litmus test. The Hon’ble Apex Court has held in Anand’s case [supra], that a cautious approach has to be adopted, and with the migrations, modernization and contact with other communities, these communities tend to develop and adopt new traits which may not essentially match with the traditional characteristics of the tribe. It holds that the affinity test may not be regarded as a litmus test for establishing the link of the applicant with a Scheduled Tribe. The affinity test is to be used to corroborate the documentary evidence and it 12 1796.22WP is not to be used as the sole criteria to reject a claim. The caste validities are issued to close blood relatives of the petitioner. In the light of above, we pass the following 14] order:
Arguments
It is the contention of Mr.Phatale, learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner had produced documents before the Scrutiny Committee showing that he belongs to ‘Thakur’ Scheduled Tribe, but, those documents were not considered by the Scrutiny Committee. He further submits that caste validity certificates are issued to the close blood relatives of the petitioner. There are old entries of pre-constitutional era which show the petitioner’s ancestor’s caste as ‘Thakur’, but, all these facts were not considered by the Scrutiny Committee. Learned counsel for the petitioner has relied upon the judgments in the cases of Anand Vs. Committee for Scrutiny and Verification of Tribe Claim & others reported in [2012] 1 SCC 113 and Apoorva d/o. Vinay Nichale Vs. Divisional Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee & others reported in 2010 [6] Mh.L.J. 401. 5] It is the contention of Mr.A.S.Shinde, learned AGP for the respondent – State that after considering the documents produced on record, the Scrutiny Committee has invalidated the caste claim of the petitioner. There are 4 1796.22WP contra entries on record of petitioner’s close blood relatives showing caste as ‘Maratha’ and ‘Bhat’. The petitioner has failed in affinity test. Hence the order passed by the Scrutiny Committee is legal and valid. 6] We have considered the arguments advanced by both the parties. We have also perused the order passed by the Scrutiny Committee. 7] The documents produced by the petitioner before the Scrutiny Committee are as under : v-dza nLr,sotkps uko nLr,sot/kkjdkps uko 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 tkr izek.ki= “kiFki= ¼uequk Q½ cksukQkbZM izek.ki= fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk VªkUlQj izek.ki= tUe izek.ki= jfgokl izek.ki= jk"Vªh;Ro vkf.k o; o vf/kokl izek.ki= vk/kkj dkMZ fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= izFkes”k larks"k fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude izFkes”k larks"k fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude vtZnkj dz-1 “kh ukrslaca/k vtZnkj dz-1 ofMy vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 vtZnkj dz-1 ofMy ofMy ofMy tkrhph uksan izos”[email protected] fnukad Bkdwj & & Bkdwj Bkdwj & & & & Bkdwj 04@09@2018 25@12@2020 21@12@2020 03@02@2009 02@03@2009 21@04@2003 13@01@2021 18@01@2021 & 23@06@1982 Bkdwj 16@06@1984 Bkdwj 21@06@1986 5 1796.22WP 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= tkr izek.ki= vk/kkj dkMZ 7@12 mrkjk oS/krk izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk tkr izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= lsokiVkP;k izFke i`"Bkph izr ernku dkMZ vk/kkj dkMZ tkr izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk vk/kkj dkMZ tUe izek.ki= ernku dkMZ “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk tkr izek.ki= larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude larks"k iaMhrjko fude fnxacj iaMhrjko fude fnxacj iaMhrjko fude fnxacj iaMhrjko fude ofMy ofMy Bkdwj 21@06@1986 Bkdwj 10@07@1996 ofMy ofMy ofMy pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck Bkdwj & & & Bkdwj Bkdwj 29@06@1984 & 2018&19 25@12@2020 09@02@1998 16@07@1970 fnxacj iaMhrjko fude pqyr vktksck Bkdwj 16@07@1970 fnxacj iaMhrjko fude fdj.k eqjyh/kj fude fnxacj x.kir fude fnxacj x.kir fude fnxacj x.kir fude /khjt fnxacj fude /khjt fnxacj fude /khjt fnxacj fude /khjt fnxacj fude pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk /khjt fnxacj fude pqyr dkdk /khjt fnxacj fude /khjt fnxacj fude /khjt fnxacj fude jktsanz fo”oukFkjko fude pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk Bkdwj Bkdwj Bkdwj ¼vuqlwfpr tekr½ & & Bkdwj & Bkdwj Bkdwj ¼,l~-Vh-½ Bkdwj ¼,l~-Vh-½ & & & & 18@10@1989 19@04@2003 & & & 18@07@2007 25@12@2020 16@06@2010 14@06@2004 06@1999 & 06@08@1991 & 28@06@2000 jktsanz fo”oukFkjko fude pqyr dkdk Bkdwj 25@07@1984 jktsanz fo”oukFkjko fude pqyr dkdk Bkdwj 11@07@1991 6 jktsanz fo”oukFkjko fude jktsanz fo”oukFkjko fude fiz;k v..kklkgsc fude pqyr dkdk pqyr dkdk pqyr cfg.k 1796.22WP Bkdwj & Bkdwj ¼vfnoklh½ 26@07@2004 25@11@2020 01@06@2015 fiz;k v..kklkgsc fude pqyr cfg.k Bkdwj 11@07@2017 fiz;k v..kklkgsc fude fiz;k v..kklkgsc fude fiz;k v..kklkgsc fude Jhdkar jaxukFkjko fude pqyr cfg.k pqyr cfg.k pqyr cfg.k pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj Bkdwj & Bkdwj 13@01@2016 15@07@2019 & 15@06@1987 Jhdkar jaxukFkjko fude pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 15@06@1987 Jhdkar jaxukFkjko fude Jhdkar jaxukFkjko fude Jhdkar jaxukFkjko fude iaMhr x.kirjko fude iaMhr x.kirjko fude iaMhr x.kirjko fude x.kir gjhHkkÅ fude gjhck l[kkjke Bkdwj xksfoan jktkjke -jktkjke l[kkjke Bkdwj pqyr HkkÅ pqyr HkkÅ pqyr HkkÅ vktksck vktksck vktksck iatksck [kkij iatksck pqyr iatksck pqyr [kkij iatksck Bkdwj Bkdwj & fganw & Bkdwj & & & & 03@07@1987 10@06@2004 & 04@07@1957 04@07@1957 02@04@1979 08@03@1982 & & 1347 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 oS/krk izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= tkr izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= vk/kkj dkMZ “kkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk tkr izek.ki= oS/krk izek.ki= vk/kkj dkMZ fo|kFkhZ izos”k o fuxZe mrkjk VªkUlQj izek.ki= tkr izek.ki= vkns”k i= gDd ikg.kh i=d [kkljk i=d gDd uksan.kh i=d 8] School entries of the blood relatives of the petitioner are received at the time of enquiry which are as follows : v- dza- 1 -”kkGsps uko ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh izos”k v-dza- 217 fo|kF;kZps uko & ukjk;.k ckthjko -vtZnkj dza- 1 “kh ukrs pqyr iatksck tkrhph uksan ejkBk izos”k fnukad “ksjk & & 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk] ”kkGk] ;slxko ua-1 rk- [kqyrkckn ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-ds-izk-”kk- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh 11 lq[knso iqatkth 1960 & “ks’kjko ikaMqjax 144@1 “ksQM f=acd 64 63 43 23 62 & lkgscjko “ksuQM & “kdqaryk “ksuQM lqiMw iqatkth & xaxk/kj vacknkl & ukjk;.k ckthjko 209 & iksiV “kkejko 23 xaxk/kj vacknkl ft-i-ds-izk-”kk- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko 79 91 132 103 107 110 166 fo”oukFk ukenso & lkgscjko “ksuQM CkkGd`".k “ksuQMw fude uank vacknkl Bkdwj “kdqaryk “ksuQM Bkdwj lkgscjko lnkf”ko Bkdj panzdyk ukjk;.k fude 21@1 & lkgscjko “ksuQM 7 pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr iatksck pqyr vktksck oMhykaph pqyr vkR;k pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr iatksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck pqyr vktksck oMhykaph pqyr vkR;k oMhykaph pqyr vkR;k pqyr vktksck oMhykaph pqyr vkR;k pqyr 1796.22WP ejkBk 16@06@1943 Bkdwj 01@12@1951 ejkBk 01@07@1953 & Bkdwj 24@09@1953 Bkdwj 24@09@1953 ejkBk 16@06@1954 Bkdwj 16@06@1954 ejkBk 16@06@1954 & tUe rkj[ksP;k jdkU;kr [kkMk[kksM dsY;kps fnlwu ;srs Bkdwj 02@11@1954 Bkdwj 16@06@1954 Bkdwj 01@08@1956 Bkdwj 01@07@1955 Bkdwj 07@07@1958 Bkdwj 07@01@1958 Bkdwj 01@02@1958 Bkdwj 24@02@1958 Bkdwj 08@08@1959 Bkdwj 11@06@1959 20 21 22 23 dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko dsa- okjsxko rk-Qqyaczh ft-i-izk-”kk- okusxko rk-Qqyaczh 42 46@2 05 204 178 241 csch “ksuQMw fude ckiq “ksuQMw fude -fo”oaHkj iqaMfyd Bkdwj dkf”kukFk xksfiukFk fude 8 vktksck oMhykaph pqyr vkR;k pqyr vktksck pqyr dkdk pqyr vktksck 1796.22WP Bkdwj 30@11@1960 Bkdwj 30@11@1960 Bkdwj 29@06@1960 Bkdwj 27@11@1961 9] It appears from record that the old school entry of petitioner’s cousin grand father, namely, Sheshrao Pandurang is of 01.12.1951 and Sahebrao Shenfadu is of 24.09.1953. There are other entries of 1954 onwards showing the caste of close blood relatives of petitioner as ‘Thakur’. It is observed by the Scrutiny Committee that there are contra entries of ‘Maratha’ and ‘Bhat’ mentioned in respect of close blood relatives of the petitioner. The petitioner has denied the relationship with relatives having contra entries. The respondent has not produced any reliable evidence on record to prove that they are close blood relatives of the petitioner. It is significant to note that caste validities are issued to the close blood relatives of the petitioner having contra entries. Shri Kiran Murlidhar Nikam and Shri Dadasaheb Murlidhar Nikam, who are shown as close blood relatives of the petitioners. Their caste is shown as ‘Bhat’, but validity of ‘Thakur’ is given to them by the Scrutiny Committee. There are more than 30 caste validites are 9 1796.22WP issued to the close blood relatives of the petitioner. Some caste validities are given by the order of this Court. 10] The Scrutiny Committee in order has observed that considering the education background of petitioner’s family, it appears that the petitioner’s family belong to upper caste Thakur and not the Thakur, scheduled tribe. It is significant to note that the Scrutiny Committee has accepted the documentary evidence since 1951 to 2001 in respect of petitioner’s blood relatives showing caste status as Thakur, but at the same time, tried to distinguish the Thakur, Scheduled Tribe with Thakurs from upper caste. In the case of Pandurang Rangnath Chavan Vs. State of Maharashtra reported in 1998 [2] Mh.L.J. 806 the Division Bench of this Court has made legal position clear that area restriction stands removed and once the enactment comes in enforcement, i.e, Presidential Order of Scheduled Tribes (Amendment) Act, 1976, throughout State, the community included in Scheduled Tribes Category is entitled and stands Tribal. Further, it has been made clear by this Court that once a particular caste is included in the Presidential Order that has to be read as it is. Hence, the observation of the Scrutiny Committee that the Thakur and Scheduled Tribe Thakur are having different status, is erroneous and improper. 10 1796.22WP 11] The Scrutiny Committee has further observed that original place of residence of the petitioner is not from Scheduled Area for ‘Thakur’, Scheduled Tribe and family of the petitioner is not migrated from the Scheduled area for ‘Thakur, Scheduled Tribe. In our view, the Scrutiny Committee has not considered the fact that the area restriction has been removed by the Amendment Act, 1976. After this amendment, it is not permissible to rely on area restrictions placed by order of 1950. It is precisely to over come the difficulties of tribals. In this context it may be useful to place reliance in the case of Mayuri Sunil Thakur Vs. State of Maharashtra and Ors. (Writ Petition No.8738 of 2019 dated 09.08.2019 at principal seat Bombay). As such the observations made by the Committee regarding absence of migration of petitioner’s family are erroneous. As there are old documents of the year 1951 and 1953 which shows caste of petitioner’s close blood relatives as ‘Thakur’. The old document has more probative value. There are more than 30 caste validities issued to the close blood relatives of the
Decision
ORDER 1] The Committee shall issue Validity Certificate to the Petitioner of Thakur, Scheduled Tribe. 2] In case, orders passed by this Court in the matters of the validity holders relied by the Petitioner is reviewed then, the present Judgment would be subject to the same. 3] The Writ Petition accordingly stands disposed of. Rule is made absolute in above terms. No order as to costs. 4] In view of disposal of the Writ Petition, the Civil Application for intervention also stands disposed of. [S.G.DIGE, J.] [S.V.GANGAPURWALA, J.] DDC