(1) 1.wp.7187.2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.7187 OF 2026 Sharvari d/o Sudhir Narnawre Vs. The Vice-Chairman/Member-Secretary Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur and Ors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Court's or Judge's orders appearances, Court's orders of directions and Registrar's orders -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ms. Preeti Rane, Advocate for petitioner. Ms. H. N. Jaipurkar, AGP for State. Mr. Nikhil Gaikwad, Advocate for respondent No.3. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND RAJ D. WAKODE, JJ. DATED : 09/09/2026 1. 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. 2. Heard learned counsel Ms. Preeti Rane for the petitioner. She submitted that initially this Court has already directed the Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur to decide the caste claim of the present petitioner within one month. Despite this specific direction, the Committee i.e. respondent No.1 has not decided the caste claim of the petitioner. Now, the petitioner has already admitted to the LL.B. course in the respondent No.2 – Shri Navalmal Firodia Law College, Pune and his admission was from the reserved category i.e. Scheduled Tribe, as petitioner 2026:BHC-NAG:12000-DB (2) 1.wp.7187.2026 claims to be of “Mana” Scheduled Tribe. She invited our attention towards the earlier order passed by this Court on 27.07.2026, wherein this Court has specifically recorded her submission that 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 the petitioner has already been granted validity, still, the claim of the present petitioner is pending before the Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur. Her further contention is also taken on record that the petitioner is pursuing her education and she has already qualified in CET, at the relevant time, the counseling rounds were in progress. Now, the petitioner is already admitted in the respondent No.2 – college and there is an apprehension that for want of Validity Certificate her admission may be cancelled. 3. Learned AGP, strongly opposed the said contention and submitted that as per her instructions, as the petitioner has not cooperated with the Committee to dispose of the claim and, therefore, it could not be disposed of, therefore, the petitioner be directed to cooperate with the Scrutiny Committee. 4. Learned counsel for the respondent No.3 objected on the ground that as pre-condition is to produce the Validity Certificate and in absence of the same, the admission deserves to be cancelled. (3) 1.wp.7187.2026 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 now inquiry is already completed 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, 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, within four weeks, subject to the condition that petitioner shall cooperate with the Committee. In the meantime, the respondent Nos.2 and 3 shall not cancel the admission of the present petitioner. 6. The State Government has already taken into consideration the aspect by issuing Notification dated 04.09.2026 and 08.09.2026 by which Scheduled Caste and other categories were already extended time to produce the Validity Certificate, however, the Scheduled Tribe is excluded from that. No reason is apparent from the said Notification why the Scheduled Tribe is not considered in the said Notification. We are of the considered opinion that the period for production of the Validity Certificate can be extended to the Scheduled Tribe also. In view of that, we proceed to pass following order: ORDER (i) The writ petition is allowed. (4) 1.wp.7187.2026 (ii) The respondent No.1 - Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur shall decide the caste claim of the present petitioner within four weeks. (iii) The respondent Nos.2 and 3 shall not cancel the admission of the present petitioner. (iv) The admission of the present petitioner would be subject to the final outcome of the caste claim of the petitioner. (v) The petitioner shall not seek any equity. The writ petition is disposed of. (RAJ D. WAKODE, J) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J) Sarkate Signed by: Mr. A.R. Sarkate Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 10/09/2026 12:02:11