1 2026:CGHC:22767 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 2430 of 2026 1 - Ajay Kumar Nagle S/o Late R.N. (Ramnath) Nagle Aged About 53 Years Caste Mahar, R/o Garden City Near Rajkishor Nagar, Mopka Bilaspur, District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Its Secretary, Department Of Tribal Welfare, Mahanadi Bhawan, Nawa Raipur Chhattisgarh. 2 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) Bilaspur, District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Shri Love Kumar Ramteke, Advocate. For Respondent(s) : Shri RK Gupta, Addl AG. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad Order on Board 14/05/2026 1. Instant Writ Petition has been filed against the rejection of application (Annexure P/1) of Permanent Social Status Certificate of the petitioner’s children by the respondent authorities. 2. Facts of the case briefly stated are that the petitioner belongs to the Schedule Caste "Mahar" community and petitioner & petitioner's children's want to get the benefit of their caste in the State of Chhattisgarh as provided by the Government. The petitioner preferred online application No. 0704012616003049 & 0704012616003051 before competent caste certificate issuing authority AVINASH SHARMA Digitally signed by AVINASH SHARMA Date: 2026.05.18 18:40:29 +0530 2 S.D.O. (Revenue) Bilaspur District Bilaspur on 25/02/2026. The petitioner has also filed the Birth and Death Register of his father of the year 1934, wherein the date of birth of the petitioner's father is recorded as 14/04/1934 & caste as Mhara. The petitioner’s father namely Ramnath used to work at South Eastern Railway/Eastern Railway Bilaspur Division, since 1970 to 1994 (Death), the State of Madhya Pradesh (now Bilaspur, which is currently under the Geographical area of Chhattisgarh). The petitioner's father was employed in the Bilaspur Division of South Eastern Railway/Eastern Railway. Following the death of the petitioner's father, the petitioner was granted compassionate appointment in the year 1994. Children of the petitioner were born and got educated in the State of Madhya Pradesh & Geographical area of Chhattisgarh. The caste certificate of the petitioner had been issued on 21/01/1994 by the competent authority Tahsildar Bilaspur, District Bilaspur Madhya Pradesh. The Domicile Certificate of the petitioner has also been issued in the year 1982-83 by the competent authority Tahsildar Bilaspur. 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the respondent authorities are not issuing Permanent Social Status Certificate in respect of the petitioner on the ground that he is a resident of another State i.e. Madhya Pradesh, and as such, he has to demonstrate documents pertaining to the State of Madhya Pradhesh. In this regard, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that on 10.06.2025, Government of India, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued a circular namely Anusuchit Jatiyo ki suchi ka sanshodhan Prakostha, wherein, it has been directed that if the applicant concerned at the time of State Reorganization, is residing in the successor State (Chhattisgarh) and at present still residing there then the 3 applicant will be eligible for the benefit derived from SC/ST certificate in that State irrespective of the fact that they were resident of Undivided State. Hence, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that respondent authorities may be directed to decide the application for grant of Permanent Social Status Certificate of the petitioner in light of circular dated 10.06.2025. 4. Learned State counsel submits that circular dated 10.06.2025 would not come to the rescue of the petitioner as he has to submit the documents as demanded by the respondent authorities from him. 5. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the documents annexed with the petition. 6. From perusal of the record and the circular dated 10.06.2025 issued by the competent authority of the Government of India, it is evident that if the applicant concerned at the time of State Reorganization, is residing in the successor State (Chhattisgarh) and at present still residing there then the applicant will be eligible for the benefit derived from SC/ST certificate in that State irrespective of the fact that they were earlier resident of Undivided State (Madhya Pradesh). 7. Accordingly, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the claim, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the competent authority to reconsider the applications of the petitioner for issuance of Permanent Social Status Certificate in light of the circular dated 10.06.2025, and to pass a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with law within a period of 60 days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Sd/- (Amitendra Kishore Prasad) Judge Avinash