Aman Pundlik Randai v. the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur
Case brief
What is this about?
Mana Scheduled Tribe caste validity certificate; Mana Kunbi affix suffix agriculturist; pre-constitutional/pre-1950 documents greater probative value; scrutiny committee cannot review earlier validity certificate absent fraud; vigilance cell enquiry not mandatory; 1930 birth extract certified copy obtained by stranger Bisan Barekar; affinity test not litmus test; validity certificate to blood relation (Apoorva Nichale); Kunda Vishwanath Ghodmare explained - no endorsement of separate Mana community; Government Resolution 24.04.1985 Mana community; Scheduled Tribe Order 1950 Entry 18; quashing of invalidation orders; declaration and validity certificates within eight weeks; High Court of Bombay Nagpur Bench; lead Writ Petition No. 2813 of 2024 with W.P. No. 2812 of 2024; neutral citation 2026:BHC-NAG:5525-DB.
What did the court decide?
Both writ petitions allowed; impugned orders dated 18.01.2024 (Case No. JC/TCSC/NGP/I/203/31/2023) and 16.01.2024 (Case No. JC/TCSC/NGP/I/849/31/2022) quashed and set aside; Petitioners declared to belong to 'Mana' Scheduled Tribe; Respondent Committee directed to issue validity certificates of 'Mana' Scheduled Tribe within eight weeks; rule made absolute, no order as to costs; pending applications disposed of.