AJINKYA S/O SANTOSH KOLTAKKE v. THE S.T. CASTE CERTIFICATE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE, THR. MEMBER/SECRETARY, AMRAVATI AND ANR
High Court of Bombay, Nagpur (Civil)
2025:BHC-NAG:10579-DB
Clarifies jurisdictional limits for caste certificate issuance and inquiry under the Act.
Legal Discussion:
- Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of Caste Certificate) Act, 2000: The judgment discusses Section 4 of the Act, stating that the competent authority under this section, while issuing a caste certificate, is not entitled to make a detailed inquiry into the validity of the caste/tribe claim. The judgment also mentions Section 6, stating that the detailed inquiry is the job of the Committee constituted under this section. The court found that the Sub-Divisional Officer exceeded its jurisdiction under Section 4 by delving into the validity of the caste claim. The court directed the Sub-Divisional Officer to issue caste certificates under Section 4.
List of Laws: Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of Caste Certificate) Act, 2000