Kajal D/O. Ravindra Nanhe v. The State Of Maharashtra, Thr. Principal Secretary, Dept. Of Forest, Mumbai And ORS.

2025:BHC-NAG:11027-DB 1/4

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY,

NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

WRIT PETITION NO.6402 OF 2025 Kajal D/o Ravindra Nanhe, Aged about 24 years, Occupation - Service, R/o Talodhi (Ba.), Tq. Nagbhid, District Chandrapur ...PETITIONER

VERSUS

1.

The State of Maharashtra, through its Principal Secretary, Department of Forest, Mantralaya, Mumbai - 400 032 2.

The Deputy Director, Pench Tiger Project, Nagpur Offi. Add. 2nd floor, New Administrative Building (Van Bhavan), Government Printing Press, Zero Mile, Civil Line, Nagpur - 440001 3.

The Member Secretary and Research Officer, District Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Chandrapur Off. Add. : Social Justice Bhavan (Social Justice and Special Assistant dept.) Milk Dairy Road, Chandrapur, Tq. and District Chandrapur - 442404 ...RESPONDENTS _______________________________________________________ Mr. A.H. Bambode, Advocate for the petitioner. Mrs. S.S. Jachak, Addl.G.P. for the respondents/State. _______________________________________________________

2/4

CORAM

: SMT. M.S. JAWALKAR A ND RAJ D. WAKODE, JJ.

DATED : OCTOBER 16, 2025.

ORAL JUDGMENT (Per : Raj D. Wakode, J.) :

Heard Mr. A.H. Bambode, learned Counsel for the petitioner.

2.

The petitioner by way of the present writ petition seeks direction to respondent No.3 - committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner.

3.

Issue notice to the respondents, returnable forthwith. 4.

Mrs. S.S. Jachak, learned Additional Government Pleader waives notice on behalf of the respondents/State. 5.

RULE. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard finally by consent of the parties.

6.

The contention is that the petitioner was appointed as a Forest Guard on the establishment of respondent No.2 vide appointment order dated 28/06/2024 in the category of Dhivar (NT-B). Since the appointment of the petitioner was against the reserved category, her caste claim was to be referred for verification. Accordingly, the petitioner

3/4 had submitted online application to respondent No.3 - committee for verification of her caste claim on 17/09/2024; however, even after the passage of more than one year, the caste claim of the petitioner has not been decided. Respondent No.2 - employer, in view of the fact that the petitioner has not submitted her Caste Validity certificate, on 25/09/2025 had issued notice thereby directing the petitioner to submit the Caste Validity certificate within a period of one month; otherwise, her services would be terminated. Hence, the petitioner approaches this Court.

7.

Mrs. S.S. Jachak, learned Additional Government Pleader appears for the respondents and, especially on behalf of respondent No.3 makes a statement that the caste claim of the petitioner is pending, which will be decided within a period of six months from the date of appearance of the petitioner before respondent No.3 - committee. 8.

In view of the above, we allow the present writ petition with a direction to respondent No.3 - committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner towards Dhivar (NT-B) category within a period of six months from the date of appearance of the petitioner before respondent No.3 - committee.

4/4 9.

The petitioner to appear before respondent No.3 - committee with all the relevant documents supporting her caste claim on 03/11/2025.

10.

In the meanwhile, the impugned notice dated 25/09/2025 issued by respondent No.2, thereby threatening to terminate the services of the petitioner for non-submission of the Caste Validity certificate, should not be acted upon by respondent No.2 till the caste claim of the petitioner is decided.

11.

In view of the above, the writ petition stands disposed of. 12.

Rule made absolute in the aforesaid terms. No costs. (RAJ D. WAKODE, J.) (SMT. M.S. JAWALKAR, J.) *Divya