Vimal Anandrao Mali Surewad vs the State of Maharashtra through Its Principal Secretary and Others — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Vimal Anandrao Mali Surewad vs the State of Maharashtra through Its Principal Secretary and Others — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Validity certificates for 'Mannervarlu', Scheduled Tribe to be issued to the petitioners immediately by the Respondent/Scrutiny Committee, subject to the decision of the Scrutiny Committee in case the validation proceedings in respect of the relied-upon validity holder are reopened.

Issue for consideration

Whether the petitioners, close relatives of validity holder Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad whose own tribe-claim petition (W.P. No.4889 of 2024) was already allowed by this Court, are entitled to validity certificates for 'Mannervarlu', Scheduled Tribe despite the Scrutiny Committee's refusal under the impugned judgment and order.

Court's answer

The Court disposed of the writ petitions without going into the merit and the factual matrix, since the petitioners' distinct relative, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad (the validity holder relied upon), had his writ petition allowed by this Court.

Ratio / Principle

As there is no dispute with regard to the relationships of the petitioners with that validity holder, the Court was inclined to allow these writ petitions.

Key takeaways

The Respondent/Scrutiny Committee shall issue validity certificates to the petitioners for 'Mannervarlu', Scheduled Tribe immediately.ratio¶54
The validity certificates granted to the petitioners are conditional: they remain subject to whatever decision the Scrutiny Committee may take if the validation proceedings in respect of the validity holder relied upon by the petitioners are reopened.ratio¶55

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate — Validation — Claimants of 'Mannervarlu', Scheduled Tribe (eight writ petitions, W.P. Nos. 4135, 4256, 4258, 4186, 4144, 4185, 4259 and 4257 of 2024, High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Aurangabad Bench) whose caste certificates were validated and tribe claims refused by the Respondent/Scrutiny Committee under the impugned judgment and order — Their distinct relative, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad, whose tribe claim was refused by the same impugned judgment and order, had already succeeded in W.P. No.4889 of 2024, allowed by this Court by order dated 04.09.2025 setting aside the impugned judgment and order — No dispute as to the petitioners' relationship with that validity holder — Writ petitions allowed without going into merit and factual matrix — Respondent/Scrutiny Committee directed to issue validity certificates to the petitioners immediately — Certificates expressly made subject to any decision of the Scrutiny Committee should the validation proceedings of the relied-upon validity holder be reopened. (Bench: Sandipkumar C. More and Abasaheb D. Shinde, JJ.; decision dated January 17, 2026.)

2026:BHC-AUG:2220-DB

1

949-WP-4135-2024.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD

949 WRIT PETITION NO. 4135 OF 2024

Vimal Anandrao Mali Surewad

VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

Mr. Chandrakant R. Thorat, Advocate for the Petitioner Mr. N. B. Patil, AGP for Respondents/State

Mr. S. B. Pulkundwar, Advocate for Respondent No.2 in Writ Petition Nos.4135/2024, 4144/2024, 4259/2024, 4257/2024, 4258/2024 Ms. Anagha Rotte, Advocate for Respondent No.3 in Writ Petition No.4185/2024

Mr. R. K. Ingole, Advocate for Respondent No.2

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4256 OF 2024

Parbhata Ganpati Surewad VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4258 OF 2024

Suryakant Amruta Surewad VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Another

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4186 OF 2024

Varsha Prabhatrao Surewad

VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Thorugh Its Principal Secretary And Others

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4144 OF 2024

Govind Ananda Suryawad Surewad VERSUS

Narwade/

2

949-WP-4135-2024.odt

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4185 OF 2024

Madhav Ganpati Surewad VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

WITH WRIT PETITION NO. 4259 OF 2024

Laxmi Kishan Suryawad VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

WITH

WRIT PETITION NO. 4257 OF 2024

Govind Sambhaji Surewad VERSUS

The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others

CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.

DATED : JANUARY 17, 2026

P.C.:

Heard.

All these petitioners claimed to have belonging to ‘Mannervarlu’, Scheduled Tribe. Their caste certificates were subjected to validation. Along with these petitioners one namely, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad whose tribe claim was refused by Respondent/Scrutiny Committee by the same impugned judgment and order have approached this Court by filing Writ Petition No.4889 of 2024 and this Court by order dated 04.09.2025 has allowed the said Writ Petition by setting aside the impugned judgment and order herein.

Narwade/

3

949-WP-4135-2024.odt

Without going into the merit and the factual matrix, we propose to dispose of these writ petitions, since the petitioners’ distinct relative namely, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad whose writ petition has been allowed by this Court and since there is no dispute with regard to the relationships of the petitioners with that validity holder, we are inclined to allow these Writ Petitions. Hence, following order :

ORDER

i. Writ Petition allowed.

ii. Respondent/Scrutiny Committee shall issue validity certificate to the petitioners of Mannervarlu, Scheduled Tribe immediately.

iii. The validity certificate granted to the petitioners shall be subject to the decision that may be taken by the Scrutiny Committee in case the validation proceedings in respect of the validity holder relied by the petitioners are reopened.

[ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.] [SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J.]

Narwade/