1 113. WP 6475.26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.6475 OF 2026 Ramkrishna Shankar Ahirkar Vs. The Vice-Chairman/Member-Secretary, Schedule Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati and anr. Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Court's or Judge's Order Coram, appearances, Court's Orders or directions and Registrar's order Ms. Geeta Tiwari, Advocate for petitioner. Ms. H. N. Jaipurkar, AGP for respondent Nos.1 and 2/State. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND RAJ D . WAKODE, JJ. DATE : 21.08.2026. . Heard Ms. Tiwari, learned counsel for the petitioner. 2. The petitioner is appointed as a Police Constable with respondent No.2 – Superintendent of Police, Akola. The appointment of the petitioner is from reserved category as the petitioner’s claim belonging to ‘Thakur’ Scheduled Tribe. Since the appointment of the petitioner was from reserved category, the employer has directed the petitioner to produce his caste validity certificate. Accordingly, the petitioner applied to respondent No.1 – Committee on 17.03.2025. The aforesaid application is at record Page No.28. 3. Ms. Tiwari, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that even after passage of almost more than one 2 113. WP 6475.26.odt and half years, the aforesaid caste claim is still pending and is not adjudicated finally. 4. In the meantime, respondent No.2, on 07.08.2026, issued notice to the petitioner along with other similarly situated employees, which is at record Page No.70 (Annexure 12). By the said notice, respondent No.2 directed the petitioner to produce the validity certificate within a period of 7 days, failing which services of the petitioner shall be terminated. In view of the aforesaid contingency, the petitioner has approached this Court. 5. Ms. Jaipurkar, learned AGP, upon instructions, submits that respondent No.1 – Committee shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a period of six months from today statement is accepted. 6. In view of the aforesaid submission made on behalf of the parties, we dispose of the present writ petition in the following terms:- I. Respondent No.1 – Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati, shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner towards ‘Thakur’ Scheduled Tribe within a stipulated period of six months from today. II. The petitioner is directed to co-operate with respondent No.1 – Committee in the aforesaid adjudication process within the 3 113. WP 6475.26.odt stipulated period without seeking any unnecessary adjournment. III. Respondent No.2 – Superintendent of Police, Akola is directed not to take any coercive step against the petitioner on the basis of communication dated 07.08.2026 only on the said reason that the petitioner has not produced the validity certificate. The aforesaid protection shall continue in favour of the petitioner till the decision of respondent No.1 - Committee IV. In case, the aforesaid caste claim of the petitioner is adjudicated by respondent No.1 – Committee and is invalidated, the aforesaid interim order shall continue in favour of the petitioner for a further period of 15 days in order to enable the petitioner to approach this Court for challenging the same. Writ Petition is accordingly disposed of. (RAJ D. WAKODE, J) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE J.) T αɳɱαყ...