Quashed

Shruti Arjun Molke and Others v. the State of Maharashtra and Another

Bombay HC17 Mar 2026WP/15071/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court quashed a Scrutiny Committee order denying Scheduled Tribe status to petitioners claiming 'Koli Mahadev' tribe. Relying on a prior decision in a connected case, the Court directed the issuance of validity certificates subject to conditions, including blood relative re-verification and undertaking to deposit fees if status is revoked.

What did the court decide?

Quashed and set aside the impugned order dated 30.07.2025; directed issuance of ST validity certificates subject to conditions.

Shruti Arjun Molke and Others vs the State of Maharashtra and Another — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

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952-cri.wp-15071-2025

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD

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952 WRIT PETITION NO. 15071 OF 2025

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Shruti Arjun Molke And Others VERSUS

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The State Of Maharashtra And Another

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Mr. O.B. Boinwad, Advocate for the Petitioner Mr. N. B. Patil, AGP for Respondents/State

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CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ. DATED : 17^TH MARCH 2026

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PER COURT (Per Abasaheb D. Shinde J.) :-

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Heard.

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By this Writ Petition, the petitioners are taking exception to common order dated 30.07.2025 passed by Respondent No.2-Scrutiny Committee by which the tribe claims of the petitioners of belonging to ‘Koli Mahadev’, Scheduled Tribe have been invalidated.

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Learned Counsel for the petitioners has invited our attention to the order dated 13.08.2025 passed by this Court in the case of Sneha

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Anilrao Molke V. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. , Writ Petition No.10107 of 2025, wherein this Court has set aside the impugned common order dated 30.07.2025 and has directed to issue validity certificate in favour of the said petitioner.

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The learned AGP does not dispute the fact that this Court has

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Narwade

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952-cri.wp-15071-2025

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already set aside the impugned common order dated 30.07.2025 in the case of Sneha Anilrao Molke (supra).

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In that view of the matter, since the same impugned order has

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been set aside by a reasoned order passed by this Court, we pass the following order :-

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O R D E R

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(i) The Writ Petition is partly allowed.

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(ii) The impugned order dated 30.07.2025, passed by Respondent No.2 -Scrutiny Committee is hereby quashed and set aside.

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(iii) Respondent No.2- Scrutiny Committee shall immediately issue "Koli Mahadev" Scheduled Tribe validity certificates in favour of the Petitioners, which shall be subject to following conditions :-

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(a) The caste validity certificates shall be subject to the outcome

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of the re-verification of the validity certificates of their blood relatives proposed by the Scrutiny Committee.

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(b) The Petitioner Nos.1 and 4 shall furnish undertaking before the Registrar (Judicial) of this Court as well as before the Scrutiny Committee and the Educational Institution with whom they will take admission for professional course, indicating that in case their caste validities are revoked, they

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Narwade

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952-cri.wp-15071-2025

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would deposit the tuition fees and other charges applicable to the candidates from open category.

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(d) The Petitioners shall cooperate with the Scrutiny

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Committee.

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[ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.]

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[SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J.]

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Narwade

Shruti Arjun Molke and Others v. the State of Maharashtra and Another

Case brief

What is this about?

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Shruti Arjun Molke and Others v. the State of Maharashtra and Another

Case brief

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