M.Ulagappan v. The Revenue Divisional

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 29.07.2015

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SATISH K. AGNIHOTRI and THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. VENUGOPAL W.P. No.22514 of 2015 M. Ulagappan Petitioner Vs.

The Revenue Divisional Officer Dharmapuri Dharmapuri District Respondent Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking a writ of mandamus directing the respondent to issue "Kurumans" Scheduled Tribe community certificates to the petitioner's daughter viz., U. Tamizhpavai, immediately. For petitioner Mr. M. Radhakrishnan For respondent Mr. R. Rajeswaran Special Government Pleader - - - - -

ORDER

Mr. R. Rajeswaran, learned Special Government Pleader, accepts notice for the respondent. With the consent of the learned counsel on either side, the writ petition is taken up for disposal, at the admission stage itself.

This writ petition is filed seeking a writ of mandamus directing the respondent to issue Kurumans (ST) community certificate to the petitioner's daughter viz., U. Tamizhpavai, based on the petitioner's application dated 18.12.2014. The petitioner, claiming that he belongs to Kurumans (ST) community, has made an application on 18.12.2014 to the respondent seeking issuance of such community certificate to his daughter viz., U. Tamizhpavai. Since no orders have been passed on the said application, the petitioner has come up with the instant writ

petition seeking the aforestated relief.

From a perusal of the petitioner's application dated 18.12.2014, it is manifest that in support of his claim that he belongs to Kurumans (ST) community, he has annexed therewith, copies of his community certificate, community certificates of his wife and brother and a copy of the transfer certificate issued by the school.

By this petition, the petitioner is seeking a direction to the respondent to consider his application and issue community certificate accordingly. We have been repeatedly observing that a community comprises not only the members of the family, but also the members of the same group or tribe. In the case on hand, when the petitioner and his wife and brother have been issued with community certificate to the effect that they belong to Kurumans (ST) community, the petitioner's daughter is also entitled to get such community status and we are at a loss to understand as to why the petitioner's application has been kept pending without any orders being passed.

Needless to state that if any doubt crops up in the mind of the competent authority qua the genuineness of the community certificate issued to the petitioner while considering his application seeking community certificate for his daughter, the only course open to the competent authority is to refer the same to the State Level Scrutiny Committee and not to take a contrary stand by dis-crediting the community certificate issued to the petitioner, without appropriate order being passed by the State Level Scrutiny Committee. In other words, if the competent authority has any doubt about the genuineness of the community certificate issued to the petitioner, he has no competence to ignore the same, unless the same is set aside or modified by the higher authority, i.e., the State Level Scrutiny Committee and he can only refer the matter to the State Level Scrutiny Committee.

For the aforesaid reasons, we direct the respondent to consider the petitioner's application dated 18.12.2014 on merits and in accordance with law, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The writ petition stands disposed of accordingly. No costs.

-sd/- Assistant Registrar True Copy Sub-Assistant Registrar

To The Revenue Divisional Officer Dharmapuri Dharmapuri District +1 cc to Mr.N.Radhakrishnan Advocate sr.40167 W.P. No.22514 of 2015 aa07/08/2015