Bombay High Court
Reena Pratapsingh Thakur vs The Divisional Caste Scrutiny ... on 5 May, 2026
Author: Mukulika Shrikant Jawalkar
Bench: Mukulika Shrikant Jawalkar
2026:BHC-NAG:6980-DB
937-wp5626.22.odt
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.
WRIT PETITION NO. 5626 OF 2022
Reena Pratapsingh Thakur
-Vs.-
The Divisional Caste Scrutiny Committee, Amravati & anr.
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Office notes, Office Memoranda of
Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's Orders.
or directions and Registrar's orders.
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Mr.S.P.Bhandarkar, Adv. for the petitioner.
Mr.H.D.Futane & Mr.N.R.Patil, AGP for the respondent-State.
Mr. P.A.Kadu, Adv.for the respondent Nos.3 and 4.
CORAM : SMT. M. S. JAWALKAR &
NANDESH S. DESHPANDE, JJ.
DATE : 5TH MAY, 2026
P.C.
Heard learned counsel for the parties.
2. It is contention of the petitioner that he belongs to Rajput-Bhamta caste, which was recognized as Vimukta Jatis/ Nomadic Tribes in the State of Maharashtra. The petitioner came to be appointed as an Assistant Teacher at Adarsha Vidyalaya (Jawala), Tahsil Chandur Bazar, District Amravati on 01/03/2000. The services of the petitioner came to be approved by the Education Officer (Secondary) Zilla Parishad Amravati. Her services came to be terminated on 08/07/2004, which she had challenged in Writ Petition No.3442 of 2004. The said termination was effected on the ground that the petitioner had not submitted caste validity certificate. This Court was pleased to set aside the order of termination of the petitioner on the ground that the said KHUNTE 937-wp5626.22.odt 2/3 school had not referred caste claim of the petitioner to the competent Caste Validity Scrutiny Committee. Again vide order dated 28/12/2017, the services of the petitioner came to be terminated, which was also challenged in Writ Petition No.210 of 2018. This Court while disposing of the said writ petition by its order dated 27/07/2021, pleased to direct the said school's Management Committee to refer the petitioner's caste claim to the competent Caste Scrutiny Validity Certification Committee. The petitioner as well also directed to seek validation of her caste status. It appears that the said application was submitted online to Caste Scrutiny Committee, Buldhana. It is contention of the respondent No.2 that the said application was returned, as the documents pertaining to her father, grandfather and great grandfather were from Washim District. Therefore, it was communicated vide its communication dated 13/10/2021 that the petitioner should obtain fresh certificate from Washim District and submit it to the Washim Caste Scrutiny Committee.
3. It is contention of the petitioner that she received validation order, which she has placed on record at Annexure-3. On perusal of the said document, it reveals that it is unsigned document, nor there is any outward number. There is no date on which the order came to be passed. As such, the contention of the respondent No.2 that it is not the validation order since some mischief is being done, either by the office or by the petitioner. As there is no any enquiry, we are of the considered opinion that the petitioner to apply afresh to the Competent Authority in Washim District for issuance of caste certificate in Form 'C' and thereafter, submit the same to the competent Caste Scrutiny KHUNTE 937-wp5626.22.odt 3/3 Committee at Washim. Hence, the petition is partly allowed.
4. The petitioner to apply afresh to the Competent Authority at Washim (i.e. Sub-Divisional Officer Washim) for issuance of certificate in Form 'C' within a period of fifteen days from today. On receipt of the said certificate in Form 'C', the petitioner shall submit it to the competent Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee at Washim within a period of one week thereafter.
5. The Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee at Washim shall decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a period of three months from the date of submission of certificate in Form 'C' along with all relevant documents after granting due opportunity of hearing.
6. The Principal of the respondent No.3-School shall cooperate in submitting her caste claim.
7. The learned AGP to communicate this order to the competent Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee at Washim as well as the Sub-Divisional Officer, Washim.
8. It is made clear that the respondent No.3-Management shall not fill up the vacancy, which the petitioner was holding prior to her termination, till the decision of the competent Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee at Washim.
9. In view of above, the petition stands disposed of. No order as to costs.
(NANDESH S.DESHPANDE, J) (SMT.M.S.JAWALKAR, J) Signed by: Mr. G.S. Khunte Designation: PS To Honourable Judge Date: 06/05/2026 16:45:20 KHUNTE