1 1-wp-5682-2026.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH AT NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO. 5682/2026 Sharvari D/o Sudhir Narnawre Vs. The Vice-Chairman / Member- Secretary, Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Adiwasi Vikas Bhavan, Giripeth, Nagpur Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Appearances, Court's orders or directions and Registrar's orders Court's or Judge's orders Ms. Preeti Rane, Advocate for petitioner Mr. S.V. Narale, AGP for Respondent CORAM: URMILA JOSHI PHALKE AND NIVEDITA P. MEHTA, JJ. DATED : 27.07.2026 1. Mr. S.V. Narale, learned AGP waives service of notice for respondent. 2. By this petition, the petitioner has made a very limited prayer to the extent of direction to decide the caste claim of the petitioner expeditiously and strictly in accordance with the amended provisions of the Scrutiny Committee Act and Rules. 3. Heard Ms. Preeti Rane, learned counsel for the petitioner. She submitted that the petitioner belongs to “Mana Scheduled Tribe”. The caste claim of the petitioner “Mana Scheduled Tribe” came to be forwarded on 15.09.2025 to respondent - Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur along with necessary documents for the purpose of caste verification. The petitioner already submitted the reply to the police vigilance cell. Moreover, the real brother of 2 1-wp-5682-2026.odt the petitioner has already been granted validity, still, the claim of the present petitioner is pending before the Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur. She further submitted that the petitioner is pursuing her education and she has already qualified in CET and now the counseling rounds are already been commenced. In view of that, if the validity certificate is not granted to her at the earliest, she will lose an opportunity of further education. In view of that direction be given to the Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner. 4. The learned AGP, on instructions, submitted that the caste claim of the petitioner can be decided within five weeks. 5. After hearing both the sides and on perusal of the record, it reveals that the real brother of the petitioner namely Nishant S/o Sudhir Narnaware has already been granted validity in view of the judgment of this Court in Writ Petition No. 1218/2023. It further reveals that the vigilance cell report is already received and show cause notice is already issued to the petitioner. The petitioner has already adopted the reply which is given by her brother in his claim. In view of that, respondent - the Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur can decide the claim on the basis of the documents, which are already supplied by the petitioner as well as respondent - the Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur shall also consider that the validity is granted to the real brother of the petitioner in view of the judgment of this Court in Writ Petition No. 1218/2023. Hence, we proceed to pass the following order. 3 1-wp-5682-2026.odt ORDER I. The writ petition is allowed. II. The respondent - Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur shall decide the caste claim of the present petitioner within one month. III. The respondent - Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur shall consider that the real brother of the petitioner has already been granted validity and decide the claim in view of the judgment in the case of Apoorva D/o Vinay Nichale Vs. Divisional Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee and others reported in 2010(6) Mh.L.J. 601. IV. The petitioner shall appear before the respondent - Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur on 31st July, 2026. V. The writ petition is disposed off. (NIVEDITA P. MEHTA, J.) (URMILA JOSHI PHALKE, J.) MP Deshpande