1 2026:CGHC:21367 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 3957 of 2026 Smt. Pramila Vastrakar W/o Shri Suresh Kumar Aged About 52 Years Caste -Mahra Occupation As Rural Agriculture Extension Officer At Circle -Bija. Block -Takhatpur, District -Bilaspur R/o Village Bija Takhatpur District -Bilaspur (C.G.) ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary Department Of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare And Bio- Competitiveness Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan Sector -19, Atal Nagar Nava Ripur District -Raipur (C.G.) 2 - The Director Of Agriculture Block -II, Second Floor, Indravati Bhawan Atal Nagar, Nava Raipur District -Raipur (C.G.) 3 - The Commissioner High Level Certification Scrutiny Committee, Office Of The Commissioner, Tribal And Scheduled Caste Development Nawa Raipur, District -Raipur (C.G.) ... Respondents (Cause title is taken from Case Information System) For Petitioner : Mr. J. N. Nande, Advocate For Respondents/ State : Mr. Suyashdhar Badgaiya, Govt. Advocate SOURABH BHILWAR Digitally signed by SOURABH BHILWAR Date: 2026.05.08 11:07:11 +0530 2 (HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE BIBHU DATTA GURU) Order on Board 07/05/2026 1. By the present writ petition, the petitioner is seeking a direction towards the respondent No.3/ The Commissioner, High Level Certification Scrutiny Committee, Department of Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development, Nawa Raipur, District Raipur, C.G. (for short, ‘the Caste Scrutiny Committee’) to conclude the pending investigation in respect of the petitioner’s caste ‘Mahra’ in light of gazette notification dated 12.08.2023 (Annexure P-9). 2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the caste verification case of the petitioner is pending consideration before the Caste Scrutiny Committee. By referring Annexure P-9, he submits that the petitioner’s case was forwarded to the Vigilance Cell vide letter dated 05/12/2019 and thereafter no further proceedings have been drawn. He further submits that due to pendency of the said caste verification proceedings, the petitioner’s case for promotion to the post of Agriculture Development Officer is not being considered, which is also evident from communication dated 18/05/2023. Learned counsel, by referring to Annexures P-9 and P-10, would contend that both the Ministry of Law and Justice as well as the State Government have notified ‘Mahra’ caste as a Scheduled Caste. 3. Learned counsel appearing for the State submits that if the petitioner’s case is still pending before the Caste Scrutiny Committee, the same shall be considered and decided in 3 accordance with law and in the light of the notifications Annexures P-9 and P-10 within a stipulated period. 4. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the documents available on record. 5. Having considered the entire facts and circumstances of the case and in view of the submissions made by learned State counsel, the respondent No.3/ Commissioner, High Level Certification Scrutiny Committee, Department of Tribal and Scheduled Caste Development, Nawa Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.), is directed to consider and decide the pending caste verification proceedings pertaining to the petitioner’s caste ‘Mahra’, in light of the gazette notification dated 12.08.2023 (Annexure P-9), within a period of 40 days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 6. With the aforesaid direction, the writ petition stands disposed of. Sd/- (BIBHU DATTA GURU) JUDGE $. Bhilwar