PRAKASH EKNATH NIKAM v. SCHEDULED TRIBE CERTIFICATE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE AND ANOTHER
Case Details
*1* 42wp6037o21 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.6037 OF 2021 PRAKASH EKNATH NIKAM VERSUS SCHEDULED TRIBE CERTIFICATE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE AND ANOTHER ... Advocate for the Petitioner : Shri Phatale Sagar S. AGP for Respondent 1 : Mrs.M.A. Deshpande ... CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & S.G. DIGE, JJ. DATE :- 28th March, 2022 Per Court :- 1. We are informed that the issue pending before the Honourable Supreme Court in Special Leave to Appeal No.24894/2009 has now been referred to the Larger Bench by order dated 24.03.2022, pertaining to the correctness of the view taken by the learned Full Bench of this Court in Shilpa Vishnu Thakur vs. State of Maharashtra and others, Writ Petition No.5028/2006. The two views taken by the Honourable Supreme Court in Vijakumar vs. State of Maharashtra and others, (2010) 14 SCC 489 and Anand vs. Committee for Scrutiny and Verification of Tribe Claims and others, (2012) 1 SCC 113, were *2* 42wp6037o21 considered and the Honourable Supreme Court found it appropriate to refer the issue to the Larger Bench of three Judges for seeking an authoritative decision on the parameters which will have to be taken into consideration by the Scrutiny Committee to verify the caste certificate. 2. In Writ Petition No.1131/2021 filed by Rahul Prakash Nikam vs. Director of Technical Education (Rahul is the son of the present petitioner Prakash), this Court delivered the judgment on 20.01.2021 and set aside the order of the Scrutiny Committee and directed the Committee to issue a validity certificate to Rahul Nikam. 3. We find from the impugned order delivered by the competent committee dated 20.02.2021 that it is a common order delivered in the case of Gangadhar Nikam (who is the petitioner in Writ Petition No.9741/2021) and the present petitioner (Prakash Nikam). Considering the family tree, both are first cousins. The father of Gangadhar, namely, Ambadas is the biological brother of the father of the petitioner (Prakash), namely, Eknath. 4. By judgment dated 14.10.2021 delivered by this Court (Coram : S.V. Gangapurwala and R.N. Laddha, JJ), the *3* 42wp6037o21 petition filed by Gangadhar Nikam has been allowed and the impugned order dated 20.02.2021 has been quashed and set aside. It would be apposite to reproduce paragraphs 2 to 10 set out in the judgment dated 14.10.2021 hereunder :- “2 The caste claim of the petitioner is invalidated. The learned counsel submits that the caste claim of the daughter of petitioner was also invalidated. Writ petition was filed bearing No.3082 of 1995. The same was allowed under the judgment and order dated 10th July, 1995. The learned counsel submits that another daughter Krishna is granted validity certificate under the orders of the Additional Commissioner, Tribal Development, Nashik, who was competent authority at the relevant time. The learned counsel submits that all the documents produced by the petitioner record the caste as “Thakur”. 3 The learned AGP submits that the petitioner has suppressed about the invalidation of the caste claim of the near relatives of petitioner i.e. of niece and cousin nephews. The learned AGP further submits that in case of some of the relatives of the petitioner the caste is recorded as “Maratha”. The petitioner failed in the affinity test. 4 We have considered the judgment delivered by the Committee and also the order of this Court directing validity to be granted in favour of the daughter of petitioner. 5 documents: The petitioner has relied upon the following v dz- nLr,sotkps uko nLr,sot/kkjdkps uko vtZnkjk’kh ukrs Tkkrhph uksan izos’[email protected] fnukad 1 Tkkr izek.ki= 2 3 ÓiFki= ¼uequk Q½ izzfrKki= oa’kkoGh xaxk/kj vacknkl fude xaxk/kj vacknkl fude Xakxk/kj vacknkl fude vtZnkj dza-1 Bkdwj 26@10@1977 vtZnkj dza-1 vtZnkj dza-1 && && 26@06@2004 16@06@2004 *4* 42wp6037o21 4 5 6 'kkGk lksMY;kpk izek.ki= Xakxk/kj vacknkl fude fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe izek.ki= xaxk/kj vacknkl fude fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe izek.ki= xaxk/kj vacknkl fude vtZnkj dza-1 && 01@07@195 5 vtZnkj dza-1 Bkdwj 22@11@1954 vtZnkj dza-1 Bkdwj 01@07@195 5 7 QsjQkj i=d vacknkl jktkjke oMhy && 1989 8 gDd uksan.kh i=d jktkjke l[kkjke Bkdwj vktksck Bkdwj 1347 9 tkr izek.ki= 10 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk ¼mnZq HkkÔsrhy HkkÔkarj izr½ 11 tkr izek.ki= 12 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk ¼mnZq HkkÔsrhy HkkÔkarj izr½ fnukukFk vacknkl fude HkkÅ Bkdwj 27@05@197 7 fnukukFk vacknkl fude nsfonkl y{e.kjko fude nsfonkl y{e.kjko fude HkkÅ Bkdwj 01@04@1958 Pkqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 05@11@1993 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 1954 13 QsjQkj i=d IkkaMwjax gjh pqyr dkdk Bkdwj 1951 14 QsjQkj i=d dkf’kukFk pqyr HkkÅ 15 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ d‘C.kk xaxk/kj fude 16 vihy vkns’kkph izr d‘C.kk xaxk/kj fude 17 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 18 dksVZ fu.kZ; izr 19 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 20 tkr izek.ki= dkapu xaxk/kj fude xaxk/kj vacknkl fude dkfrZdh xaxk/kj fude dkfrZdh xaxk/kj fude && && && && 1950&1951 08@01@2004 02@08@1991 08@01@2004 Ekqyxh Ekqyxh eqyxh vtZnkj dz-1 && 10@07@1995 eqyxh && 08@01@2004 eqyxh Bkdwj 10@06@1999 *5* 42wp6037o21 21 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 22 oS/krk izek.ki= 23 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 24 oS/krk izek.ki= 25 tkr izek.ki= 26 oS/krk ÓiFki= 27 tkr izek.ki= 28 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 29 oS/krk izek.ki= /kuat; fnukukFk fude /kuat; fnukukFk fude Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude x.ks’kdqekj Hkkuqnkl fude x.ks’kdqekj Hkkuqnkl fude fnxacj x.kir fude fnxacj x.kir fude 30 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk ¼Qlyh½ fnukukFk vacknkl fude 31 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk xaxk/kj vacknkl fude 32 oS/krk izek.ki= 33 izfrKki= ¼oS/krk½ 34 oS/krk ÓiFki= 35 oS/krk izek.ki= 36 dksVZ vkns’kkph izr 37 tkr izek.ki= furhu vkuanjko f’kans furhu vkuanjko f’kans Ekukst iafMrjko lqjMdj Ekukst iafMrjko lqjMdj IzkktDrk Hkxokuokuflax dNok izdk’k ,dukFk fude iqr.;k && 08@01@2004 iqr.;k Bkdwj 26@06@1997 pqyr HkkÅ && 20@12@2003 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 21@03@2003 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 18@04@197 7 iqr.;k && 20@12@2003 iqr.;k Bkdwj 04@09@1998 pqyr HkkÅ && 08@01@2004 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 09@02@1998 HkkÅ Bkdwj 1953 vtZnkj dz-1 Bkdwj 16@08@1954 Ukkrq Bkdwj 15@11@2003 ukrq pqyr lkljs && && 18@11@2004 18@11@2004 pqyr lkljs Bkdwj 10@06@2004 UkkrsokbZd && 07@04@2004 vtZnkj daz-2 Bkdwj 04@09@1998 *6* 42wp6037o21 38 izfrKki= 39 izfrKki= ¼vkMuko nq:Lrh½ 40 oS/krk ÓiFki= 41 Lskok iqLRkdkP;k ifgY;k i‘"Bkaph Nk;kafdr izr 42 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 43 oS/krk izek.ki= 44 tkr izek.ki= 45 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 46 oS/krk izek.ki= 47 tkr izek.ki= 48 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 49 oS/krk izek.ki= 50 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 51 oS/krk izek.ki= izdk’k ,dukFk fude izzdk’k ,dukFk fude Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude dfork Hkkuqnkl fude dfork Hkkuqnkl fude dfork Hkkuqnkl fude lfork Hkkuqnkl fude lfork Hkkuqnkl fude lfork Hkkuqnkl fude fnukukFk vacknkl fude fnukukFk vacknkl fude dkfrZdh xaxk/kj fude dkfrZdh xaxk/kj fude vtZnkj daz-2 && 20@05@2016 VtZnkj dza-2 && 20@05@2016 pqyr HkkÅ && 20@05@2016 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj && Pkqyr iqr.kh && 20@05@2016 Pqkyr iqr.kh Bkdwj 28@04@2003 Pqkyr iqr.kh Bkdwj 04@09@1998 Pkqyr iqr.kh && 20@05@2016 Pkqyr iqr.kh Bkdwj 26@02@2002 Pkqyr iqr.kh Bkdwj 04@09@1998 HkkÅ && 11@04@2016 HkkÅ Bkdwj 24@01@2005 eqyxh && 11@04@2016 eqyxh Bkdwj 10@06@1999 52 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk izdk’k ,dukFk fude vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 53 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 54 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ fnxacj x.kir fude dkaapu xaxk/kj fude pqyr HkkÅ eqyxh && && 30@06@197 7 26@06@2002 26@06@2002 *7* 42wp6037o21 55 tkr izek.ki= 56 oS/krk izek.ki= 57 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 58 tkr izek.ki= 59 oS/krk ¼ÓiFki=½ 60 tkr izek.ki= dkaapu xaxk/kj fude d‘".kk xaxk/kj fude /kuat; fnukukFk fude /kuat; fnukukFk fude d‘".kk xaxk/kj fude d‘".kk xaxk/kj fude 61 62 63 64 65 ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= izdk’k ,dukFk fude ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= izdk’k ,dukFk fude vkMuko nq:Lrh vtZ ,dukFk gjh fude ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= izdk’k ,dukFk fude jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼xzkelsod½ izdk’k ,dukFk fude 66 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼ljiap½ izdk’k ,dukFk fude eqyxh Bkdwj 16@07@1993 eqyxh Bkdwj 10@07@1995 iqr.;k && 26@06@2002 iqr.;k Bkdwj 09@07@1992 eqyxh && 26@06@2002 Eqkyxh Bkdwj 07@04@1989 vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 30@06@197 7 vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 01@06@1971 dkdk && 09@10@1985 vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 25@05@1981 vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 15@08@1998 vtZnkj dza-2 Bkdwj 15@08@1998 67 izfrKki= 68 izfrKki= 69 Lskok iqLRkdkP;k ifgY;k i‘"Bkaph Nk;kafdr izr 70 izek.ki= Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude xaxk/kj vacknkl fude pqyr HkkÅ vtZnkj dza-1 && && 26@06@1999 19@08@1998 xaxk/kj vacknkl fude vtZnkj dza-1 Bkdwj ¼,l-Vh-½ && xaxk/kj vacknkl fude vtZnkj dza-1 Bkdwj 04@07@1991 71 ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 22@06@1966 *8* 42wp6037o21 72 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude 73 74 ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude 75 fo?kkFkhZ izos’k o fuxZe mrkjk Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude 76 ÓkGk lksMY;kps izek.ki= jkew ,dukFk fude 77 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼ljiap½ ,dukFk gfjck fude 78 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼xzkelsod½ Hkkuqnkl ,dukFk fude 79 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼ljiap½ dqlweckbZ ,dukFk fude pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 22@06@1966 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 1969 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 12@11@1968 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 12@11@1968 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 04@11@1971 pqyr dkdk Bkdwj pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj dkdq Bkdwj 15@05@199 5 15@05@199 5 15@05@199 5 80 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼xzzkelsod½ 81 jfgokl o tkr izek.ki= ¼ljiap½ 82 tkr izek.ki= 83 tkr izek.ki= 84 tkr izek.ki= ,dukFk gfjck fude pqyr dkdk Bkdwj 23@05@1995 ckiw ÓsuQMw pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 06@07@1991 foB~Byjko nxMwth f’kans Uk;uk foB~Byjko f’kans vpZuk foB~Byjko f’kans esOg.kk Bkdwj 03@11@1979 Hkkph Bkdwj 28@11@1984 Hkkph Bkdwj 28@11@1984 85 tkr izek.ki= IakfMr x.kirjko pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 21@04@1979 86 tkr izek.ki= e/kqdj x.kirjko ukrsokbZd Bkdwj 29@06@1984 87 tkr izek.ki= 88 CkskukQkbZM 89 Tkkr izek.ki= fo’oukFk ukenso fude dkapu xaxk/kj fude fnukukFk vacknkl fude pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 27@10@1986 eqyxh && 30@06@1994 HkkÅ Bkdwj 27@05@197 7 *9* 42wp6037o21 90 tkr izek.ki= 91 tkr izek.ki= 92 tkr izek.ki= n’kZuk fnukukFk fude RkstJh fnukukFk fude jkew ,dukFk fude iqr.kh Bkdwj 31@12@1986 iqr.kh Bkdwj 31@12@1986 pqyr HkkÅ Bkdwj 22@04@1986 6
Decision
It is a fact that one daughter of the petitioner namely Krishna is awarded the validity certificate of “Thakur Scheduled Tribe” under the judgment of the Additional Commissioner, Tribal Development, Nashik, who at the relevant time was competent authority. Thereafter, the caste claim of another daughter of the petitioner Kanchan was invalidated. Writ Petition No.3082 of 1995 was filed. This Court under the judgment and order dated 10th July, 1995, allowed the writ petition and directed the Committee to issue validity certificate to her of “Thakur Scheduled Tribe”. The said judgment is intact. 7 In view of the earlier judgment delivered by this Court in favour of the daughter of petitioner, different view cannot be taken. 8 In light of that, the impugned judgment is quashed and set aside. 9 The respondent Committee shall issue the validity certificate to the petitioner of “Thakur Scheduled Tribe” immediately. 10 In case the judgment and order passed by the High Court in the matter of the daughter of petitioner is reviewed, then the present judgment would be subject to the same.” 5. Considering that the impugned order has already been quashed and set aside, albeit to the extent of Gangadhar Nikam, by common reasons assigned in the case of the present *10* 42wp6037o21 petitioner (Prakash Nikam), who is the first biological cousin of Gangadhar Nikam and their fathers, Ambadas and Eknath, are biological brothers, we are unable to take a different view in this matter. 6. In view of the above, this Writ Petition is partly allowed and the impugned order dated 20.02.2021 to the extent of the present petitioner is also quashed and set aside. The respondent/ Scrutiny Committee shall issue a validity certificate to the petitioner of Thakur, Scheduled Tribe, within eight weeks from today, of course, subject to the judgment delivered by this Court in the case of the daughter of Gangadhar i.e. Krushna @ Kanchan @ Kartiki and in the case of Rahul son of the present petitioner Prakash, who has been granted the validity certificate under the orders by passed by this Court (Coram : S.V. Gangapurwala and S.D. Kulkarni, JJ) dated 20.01.2021 in Writ Petition No.1131/2021. Further, if the competent scrutiny committee chooses to reopen the cases of any of such validity holders, the validity certificate issued to the petitioner, would be subject to the outcome of such proceedings. kps (S.G. DIGE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)