Payal Govind Shetewad v. The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Another

2024:BHC-AUG:19225-DB

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

BENCH AT AURANGABAD 949 WRIT PETITION NO. 8647 OF 2024 PAYAL GOVIND SHETEWAD

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANOTHER ...

Advocate for Petitioner : Mr. Chinchole Ghanshyam K. AGP for Respondents : Mr. V.M. Chate ...

CORAM

: MANGESH S. PATIL & SHAILESH P. BRAHME, JJ.

DATE : 22 AUGUST 2024 PER COURT :

Heard both the sides finally.

2.

The petitioner is challenging the order of respondent no. 2 - Scrutiny Committee, refusing to validate her 'Koli Mahadev' scheduled tribe certificate.

3.

It transpires during the course of argument that the petitioner's father Govind possesses certificate of validity dated 26 July 2011. The Committee has refused to extend its benefits for the reasons recorded in the order, inter alia, attributing him of having obtained it by practising fraud and has even decided to undertake its re-scrutiny. Incidentally, the petitioner's distant

cousins Jayashri Shankar Shetewad, Sanjana Shankar Shetewad and Ashwini Balaji Shetewad had also faced a similar invalidation. In a group of Writ Petitions bearing No. 8384/2023 and other petitions by the order dated 31 August 2023, this Court had directed them to be issued with certificates of validity. Since they all were relying upon the validity of Govind who is the petitioner's father, they were granted certificates of validity subject to the final outcome of his matter, which the Committee had decided to reopen.

4.

Ex-facie, the petitioner seems to be in the same boat. The petition is allowed partly. The impugned order is quashed and set aside. The Committee shall issue validity certificate to the petitioner which shall be co-terminus with the validity of Govind which the Committee has decided to re-open.

[ SHAILESH P. BRAHME, J. ] [ MANGESH S. PATIL, J. ] Thakur-Chauhan/-