934.wp.5033.25.odt 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR. WRIT PETITION NO.5033 OF 2025 (Mayur s/o Avinash Wardekar Vs. ST Caste Scrutiny Committee, Yavatmal and ors.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Court's or Judge's Order Coram, appearances, Court's Orders or directions and Registrar's order --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. A.D. Girdekar, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. J.Y. Ghurde, AGP for respondent No.1/State. Mr. N.A. Gaikwad, Advocate for respondent No.2. CORAM :- SMT. M.S. JAWALKAR A ND RAJ DAMODAR WAKODE, JJ. DATED :- SEPTEMBER 03, 2025. Issue notice to the respondents. 2. Learned AGP waives notice for respondent No.1/State. 3. Mr. N. A. Gaikwad, learned Counsel waives notice for respondent No.2. 4. The present petition is filed for direction to the respondent No.1 – Caste Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner within stipulated period. 5. The petitioner also sought interim relief restraining respondent No.2 – State Common Entrance Test Cell, Mumbai not to cancel the admission given to the petitioner from Scheduled Tribe category for want of submission of Validity Certificate. The petitioner obtained caste certificate from Sub-Divisional Officer, Karanja Lad, dated 01/04/2021 of Thakur Scheduled Tribe. The Proposal for Validity submitted on 2025:BHC-NAG:8699-DB 934.wp.5033.25.odt 2 20/09/2024 along with the necessary documents i.e. old documents prior to 1950 submitted by the petitioner to the Caste Scrutiny Committee. 6. Mr. Gaikwad, learned Counsel for State CET Cell, Maharashtra State, Mumbai strongly opposed for granting interim relief to the petitioner and submits that the Hon’ble Apex Court has already held that the protection of such admissions is contrary to the interest of the students at large. He relied on the order passed by the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Dilip Vitthal Bambale and ors. Vs. Vinitkumar Motiram Tatlod and ors. In Civil Appeal Nos.11234-48 of 2017 (arising out of SLP (C) Nos.20210-20224 of 2017) and has submitted that as the validity are not received by the present students it would not be in the interest of other candidates belonging to reserve category to allow these students to occupy reserve seats. 7. It appears that the petitioner obtained the caste certificate of Thakur scheduled tribe on 01/04/2021 and submitted the proposal for verification. It appears that the petitioner is having Validity Certificate of his cousin issued by the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati dated 11/03/2019. The proposal was forwarded to the Caste Scrutiny Committee on 04/02/2025. The petitioner applied to the Caste Scrutiny Committee to decide his claim which has also pointed out that the Validity Certificate is not considered and his admission may get cancelled. The petitioner was provisionally admitted in the Government College of Engineering, Amravati i.e. respondent No.3; however, his admission is subject to 934.wp.5033.25.odt 3 obtaining the Caste Validity Certificate from the Committee. At any rate, there is no fault on the part of the petitioner. In view of the certificate and in view of the validity granted in favour of relative from paternal side of the petitioner, it would be appropriate to protect his admission. 8. In view of the decision of the Full Bench of the Hon’ble Apex Court in the case of Shreyash Ajay Ghormare Vs. The Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee in Special Leave to Appeal (C) Nos.17206-17207/2023 wherein it is held as under: “Having heard learned counsel for the parties and considering the fact that the petitioner had a Scheduled Tribe Certificate as a member of the Mana Scheduled Tribe in the State of Maharashtra, we direct the concerned authorities to admit him provisionally based on his rank, if he is otherwise eligible for the Scheduled Tribe Category without insisting on certificate from the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee. He must, however, fulfill other eligibility criteria for such admission. We are passing this order considering the submission of the petitioner that today is the last day for admission in the course and this order is being passed without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties. The petitioner shall not be entitled to claim any equity in the event, the matter is ultimately decided against him.” 9. In view of the restricted relief to issue direction to 934.wp.5033.25.odt 4 respondent No.1 to decide the caste claim of the petitioner, the petition needs to be allowed. Accordingly, the petition is allowed. 10. In view of the restricted relief to issue direction to respondent No.1 to decide the caste claim of the petitioner, the petition needs to be allowed. Hence, the petition is allowed. 11. Respondent No.1 is hereby directed to decide the tribe claim of the petitioner within a period of three weeks. 12. Respondent No.2 - State Common Entrance Test Cell, Mumbai is directed not to cancel the admission of the petitioner from Scheduled Tribe category till the result of the Caste Scrutiny Committee. 13. The direction not to cancel the admission given to the petitioner till result of Caste Scrutiny Committee is binding on respondent No.3 also and in view of this direction, there is no necessity to issue separate direction to respondent No.3. 14. The petitioner shall appear before the Caste Scrutiny Committee, Yavatmal on 08/09/2025. 15. The petitioner is permitted to place on record any additional evidence if available, before the Caste Scrutiny Committee. 16. The petition stands disposed of. 17. The learned AGP as well as learned Counsel for the petitioner shall communicate this order to the Caste Scrutiny Committee, Yavatmal. 934.wp.5033.25.odt 5 18. Copy of this order be furnished to the parties to act upon. In view of the restricted relief to issue direction to respondent No.1 to decide the caste claim of the petitioners, the petition needs to be allowed. Hence, the petition is allowed. 19. Respondent No.1-Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Yavatmal is hereby directed to decide the tribe claim of the petitioners within a period of three weeks. 20. Respondent No.2-State Common Entrance Test Cell, Mumbai is directed not to cancel the admission of the petitioners from Scheduled Tribe category till the result of the Scrutiny Committee. 21. The petition stands disposed of. 22. The learned AGP shall communicate this order to the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Yavatmal. 23. Copy of this order be furnished to the parties to act upon. (RAJ DAMODAR WAKODE, J.) (SMT. M.S. JAWALKAR, J.) *Divya