1 10 wp6976.26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.6976 OF 2026 Mahati d/o Sandip More Vs. Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Amravati Division, Amravati through its Member of Secretary and ors Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Court' s or Judge' s Order Coram, appearances, Court' s Orders or directions and Registrar' s order Shri A.P.Kalmegh, Counsel for the Petitioner. Shri Amit Madiwale, AGP for Respondent No.1. Shri Arnav Naik, Advocate h/f Shri Nikhil Gaikwad, Counsel for Respondent No.2. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE & RAJ D.WAKODE, JJ. DATED : 04 SEPTEMBER, 2026. 1. Heard. 2. By this petition, the petitioner seeks a limited prayer that respondent No.1/Caste Scrutiny Committee, Amravati be directed to decide caste claim of the petitioner towards “Thakur Scheduled Tribe” and to issue Caste Validity Certificate within a stipulated period. The petitioner is also seeking direction to respondent No.2/State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra State, Mumbai and respondent No.3/COEP Technological University not to insist for Caste Validity Certificate and not to cancel provisional admission based on non-submission of Caste Validity Certificate. 2026:BHC-NAG:11733-DB 2 10 wp6976.26.odt 3. Learned Assistant Government Pleader waives service of Notice for respondent No.1. 4. Learned counsel Shri Arnav Naik h/f learned counsel Shri Nikhil Gaikwad waives service of Notice for respondent No.2. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has appeared in MH-CET Examination and already qualified. The petitioner has secured seat in Engineering Course. Now, the petitioner has already admitted on a condition that the petitioner has to produce Caste Validity Certificate. However, the caste claim of the petitioner is pending with the said Committee since 2025. Now, College is insisting for Caste Validity Certificate. If the Caste Validity Certificate is not produced, there is an apprehension of cancellation of the admission. 6. Learned Assistant Government Pleader and learned counsel for respondent No.2 have strongly opposed the said contentions and submitted that considering it is being a pre- condition, Caste Validity Certificate is required to be produced. 7. After hearing both sides and perusing the entire record, it reveals that the caste claim of the petitioner is still pending with the said Committee. The petitioner is already admitted. Considering apprehension, there is likelihood of losing admission for want of Caste Validity Certificate. Now, this aspect is already considered by the Government Circular granting extension to produce Caste Validity Certificates to the SBC and OBC Categories. Therefore, the said benefit can be extended to the other social status categories also. 3 10 wp6976.26.odt 8. In view of that, we pass following order: ORDER (1) The writ petition is disposed of. (2) The respondent No.1/Caste Scrutiny Committee, Amravati is directed to decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a period of three months from today. (3) It is directed that respondent Nos.2 and 3 shall not insist the petitioner for Caste Validity Certificate and shall not cancel the provisional admission based on the non submission of the Caste Validity Certificate. (4) The admission of the petitioner would be subject to final outcome of the caste claim decided by the said Committee. (5) With these directions, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. [JUDGE] [JUDGE] !! BrWankhede, PS !! Signed by: Mr. B. R. Wankhede Designation: PS To Honourable Judge Date: 05/09/2026 10:51:55