1 134) WP 8202-26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH AT NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO. 8202 OF 2026 DEVASHISH SANJAY KHARCHAN VS THE SCHEDULED TRIBE CASTE CERTIFICATE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE, THR. ITS MEMBER/SECRETARY, AMRAVATI Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Appearances, Court's orders or directions and Registrar's orders Court's or Judge's orders Ms. Rajshree S. Kabra, Advocate for petitioner. Ms. Shamsi Haider, AGP for respondent/State. CORAM: URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND RAJ D. WAKODE, JJ. DATED : 08/10/2026. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. 2. The petitioner, who is a student, has approached this Court seeking a direction to the sole respondent- Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati, for expeditious decision of his caste claim. 3. Ms. Kabra, the learned counsel for the petitioner, invites our attention to the acknowledgment dated 15/12/2025 issued by the respondent Committee, acknowledging receipt of the caste claim of the petitioner for verification as belonging to the ‘Koli Mahadeo’ Scheduled Tribe. Even after the passage of more than 10 months, the aforesaid caste claim is still pending before the respondent Committee. 4. The petitioner is studying in the First Year of GNM at Maharshi Walmiki Institute of Nursing, Malkapur, District Akola. Hence, the petitioner is apprehending that his admission may be cancelled for want of such a validity 2026:BHC-NAG:13512-DB 2 134) WP 8202-26.odt certificate. In view of the above, the petitioner has approached this Court. 5. Ms. Shamsi Haider, the learned AGP, upon instructions, submits that the respondent Committee shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner, within a period of three months from today. 6. In view of the above, we dispose of the present writ petition as per the following order:- (i) The respondent-Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner as belonging to the ‘Koli Mahadeo’ Scheduled Tribe, within a period of three months from today. (ii) The petitioner shall cooperate with the respondent Committee in the aforesaid adjudication process without seeking any unnecessary adjournments. (iii) Since the caste claim of the petitioner is sub judice before the respondent Committee, it is expected that the Institute where the petitioner is studying in the First Year of GNM shall not take any coercive steps against the petitioner solely on the ground that the validity certificate has not been submitted, till the decision of the respondent Committee. However, as and when the occasion arises, the petitioner can approach this Court. ( RAJ D. WAKODE, J.) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE , J.) B.T.K. Signed by: Mr. B.T. Khapekar Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 09/10/2026 10:32:27