Pankaj Ramesh Thakur v. The State Of Maharashtra Through Principal Secretary, Tribal Development Dept. And ORS.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

APPELLATE SIDE CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 8365 OF 2014 Pankaj S/o. Ramesh Thakur, Age 29 years, Occu. Nil, R/o. Kalwa, Tq. Thane, Dist. Thane.

....Petitioner.

Versus

The State of Maharashtra Through Principal Secretary, Tribal Development Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai-32.

The Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Konkan Division, Thane, through it's Member Secretary & Dy. Director (Research) having it's office at, IIIrd Floor, Thane Municipal Corporation Ward Office Building, Opp. Kores Company, Vedant Complex, Vartaknagar, Thane (West), Pin-400 606.

The Sub-Divisional Officer, Thane, Tq. & Dist. Thane ....Respondents.

Mr. K.T. Shirrurkar for the Petitioner.

Ms. Sushama Bhende, AGP for the Respondents.

CORAM : SMT. VASANTI A. NAIK AND C.V. BHADANG, JJ.

DATE : 9th JANUARY 2015.

ORAL JUDGMENT (PER SMT. VASANTI A. NAIK, J.):- Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith.

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ssm 2 910-8365.14.sxw The Petition is heard finally with the consent of the learned counsel for the parties.

The only prayer made by the Petitioner is a direction to the Respondent No. 2-Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the Petitioner within a time frame.

Ms. Bhende, the learned Assistant Government Pleader appearing on behalf of the Respondent No.2 Scrutiny Committee states on instructions that the caste claim of the Petitioner is pending before the Committee and the Committee would decide the same within a reasonable time.

In view of the statement made by the learned Assistant Government Pleader, the Writ Petition is allowed. The Respondent No.2Scrutiny Committee is directed to decide the caste claim of the Petitioner as early as possible and positively within a period of 9 months from the date of appearance of the Petitioner before the Scrutiny Committee. The Petitioner is directed to appear before the Scrutiny Committee on 27.1.2015, so that issuance of notice to the Petitioner could be dispensed with. Rule is made absolute in aforesaid terms with no order as to costs.

(C.V. BHADANG, J.) (VASANTI A. NAIK, J.) 2/2