1 4 wp6289.26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.6289 OF 2026 Ankita d/o Anil Gajbe Vs. The Vice-Chairman/Member-Secretary, Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur and anr Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Court' s or Judge' s Order Coram, appearances, Court' s Orders or directions and Registrar' s order Shri Ms Himani Kavi, Counsel for the Petitioner. Shri V.A.Thakare, AGP for Respondents. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE & RAJ D.WAKODE, JJ. DATED : 17th AUGUST, 2026. Civil Application CAW No.2006/2026 1. Heard. 2. For the reasons stated in the application, and in view of fact that Notices in the writ petition are not yet issued to respondents, the application is allowed and disposed of. 3. Necessary amendment be carried out forthwith. WRIT PETITION NO.6289 OF 2026 1. Heard learned counsel Ms Himani Kavi for the petitioner – student and learned Assistant Government Pleader Shri V.A.Thakare for respondents. 2026:BHC-NAG:10735-DB 2 4 wp6289.26.odt 2. By this petition, the petitioner – student seeks direction to respondent No.1 – The Vice-Chairman/Member-Secretary, Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur (respondent No.1 – Committee) to decide her caste claim towards “Mana Scheduled Tribe” expeditiously and within a stipulated period. 3. Contention is that, the caste claim of the petitioner – student towards caste “Mana Scheduled Tribe” was referred to respondent No.1 – Committee in the year 2024 and even after a passage of almost two years, the aforesaid caste claim is not yet decided by respondent No.1 – Committee. Due to pendency of the aforesaid caste claim, she will be deprived of receiving fellowship from the Government of Maharashtra. Accordingly, she approached this court. 4. Learned Assistant Government Pleader Shri V.A.Thakare for respondents, upon instructions, submits that respondent No.1 – Committee shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a period of four months from today. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner – student invites our attention to Caste Validity Certificate granted by this court to the petitioner’s real brother “Arpan”. In view of the above, she seeks direction by this court to newly added respondent No.2 – The Commissioner, Tribal Research and Training Institute, Government of Maharashtra, Pune to consider application of the petitioner for grant of fellowship provisionally subject to result of her validation proceedings before respondent No.1 Committee. 3 4 wp6289.26.odt 6. In view of the above, we dispose of the present writ petition as per following order: ORDER (1) Respondent No.1 – The Vice-Chairman/Member-Secretary, Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a period of four months from today on its own merits and in accordance with law and more specifically in view of the law laid down by this court in the case of Apoorva d/o Vinay Nichale vs. Divisional Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, reported in (2010) 6 Mah LJ 401, in view of the fact that the said Committee has already granted Caste Validity Certificate to the petitioner’s real brother “Arpan”. (2) In the meanwhile, respondent No.2 – The Commissioner, Tribal Research and Training Institute, Government of Maharashtra, Pune shall consider the application form of the petitioner for fellowship provisionally without insisting her for Caste Validity Certificate. (3) Needless to mention that the aforesaid grant of fellowship, if the petitioner is otherwise entitled, shall be subject to decision of respondent No.1 – Committee. Petition is accordingly disposed of. No costs. [JUDGE] [JUDGE] !! BrWankhede !! Signed by: Mr. B. R. Wankhede Designation: PS To Honourable Judge Date: 19/08/2026 10:17:16