Shravani Vitthal Gangavane v. State Of Maharashtra Through Secretary And ANR

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 5039 OF 2025 Shravani Vitthal Gangavane Aged 18 years, resident of Pinguli Gudhipur, Tal. Kudal, Dist. Sindhudurg

...Petitioner

Versus

1.

State of Maharashtra through its Secretary, Tribal Development Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai - 400 032.

2.

Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Thane Through its Member Secretary, Having its 5th Floor, MTNL Bldg., Charai, Thane, Dist. Thane

...Respondents

by SUNNY ANKUSHRAO THOTE Date:

2025.04.21 10:52:40 +0530 SUNNY ANKUSHRAO THOTE Mr. Chintamani Bhangoji, Advocate for the Petitioner. Mr. Abhishek Bhadang, AGP for the Respondent/State. CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & ASHWIN D. BHOBE, JJ.

DATE : 16th APRIL, 2025 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.) 1.

Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith and heard finally by the consent of the parties.

2.

The claim of the Petitioner, who is an 18 years old girl student, seeking validity of the 'Thakar' Schedule Tribe, is pending with the Respondent No.2/Committee.

3.

It is undisputed that the family tree of the Petitioner is at Page No.52 in the Petition paper book. The Petitioner is the biological daughter of Vitthal and grand daughter of Ankush. The Petitioner's father Vitthal has been granted a validity certificate by the Committee. His father Ankush has two brothers, namely Ram and Ramesh and a sister, namely Nirmala. Ramesh is granted a validity certificate by the High Court. Rutuja and Rupesh are the biological children of Ramesh, who have been granted validity certificates by the High Court. Ankush, Ram, Ramesh and Nirmala are the children of Vitthal S/o Ramchandra. In short, they are from the branch of Ramchandra. Ramachandra had a biological brother namely, Laxman. Laxman had four sons, out of whom Narayan had four sons, namely, Suresh, Bhaskar, Bharat and Sahadev. Suresh is granted a validity certificate by the Committee. His one son Sujit is granted validity certificate by the High Court. His another son Narayan and daughter Shital are granted validity certificates by the Committee.

4.

There is no dispute as regards the blood relations of the aforesaid members from the paternal side.

5.

In view of the above, since the Petitioner's claim is pending since 26th December, 2023 and the Petitioner has already tendered his written explanation to the Vigilance Cell Inquiry Report on 27th November, 2024, the learned AGP submits on instructions that the claim of the Petitioner, namely Shravani, would be decided on or before 31st May, 2025.

6.

In view of the above, this Writ Petition is disposed off. We expect the Committee to be conscious of the aforesaid discussion of the relatives of the present Petitioner, which we have specifically made to preempt the Committee that they should not indulge in an adventure and should followed the law laid down by this Court in Apoorva d/o Vinay Nichale Vs. Divisional Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee No.1 Nagpur, 2010 (6) Mh.L.J.401. 7.

Rule is discharged.

(ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)