Rajnandini Abhimanya Shelke v. The State Of Maharashtra Through Its District Collector And Others

1 1048 wp 13719-25

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

BENCH AT AURANGABAD 1048 WRIT PETITION NO. 13719 OF 2025 RAJNANDINI ABHIMANYA SHELKE

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS DISTRICT COLLECTOR AND OTHERS ...

Mr. Undre Vikram Shivaji, Advocate for the Petitioner Mr. S. P. Sonpawale, AGP for Respondent-State ....

CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.

DATED : 28/01/2026 P. C. :

1.

Heard.

2.

By this writ petition, the petitioner is taking an exception to the order dated 19/08/2025 passed by the respondent No.2 - Scrutiny Committee by which the proposal seeking verification of her caste claim of belonging to 'Kunbi' Other Backward Class, has been dismissed for non-prosecution.

3.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that due to some unavoidable circumstances, the petitioner could not keep track of the proceedings nor the petitioner at any point of time received the show-cause notices issued by the respondent/ Scrutiny Committee. The Scrutiny Committee has observed that despite several showcause notices issued to the petitioner, she remained absent and thus, the petitioner is not interested to pursue the caste claim. He

2 1048 wp 13719-25 submits that the impugned order is erroneous and therefore, the same is liable to be quashed and set aside.

4.

Per contra, the learned AGP submits that the order itself depicts that the respondent / Scrutiny Committee has issued several show-cause notices to the petitioner. However, the petitioner was not diligent in pursuing his caste claim. He therefore, urged that the respondent / Scrutiny Committee has rightly passed the impugned order thereby dismissing the caste claim of the petitioner for non-prosecution.

5.

After hearing learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned AGP, we find that the impugned order depicts that several show-cause notices were issued to the petitioner and still the petitioner did not bother to pursue her caste claim. Be that as it may, since the matter pertains to social status of the petitioner, we find it expedient in the interest of justice to permit the petitioner to pursue her caste claim on merits.

6.

In that view of the matter, we are inclined to allow this writ petition. Hence, we pass following order:

ORDER

i) Writ petition is allowed.

ii) The impugned order dated 19/08/2025 passed by the respondent - Scrutiny Committee thereby rejecting the caste claim of the petitioner for nonprosecution is hereby quashed and set aside.

3 1048 wp 13719-25 iii) The caste claim of the petitioner shall stand restored to its original position.

iv) We direct the petitioner to appear before the respondent - Scrutiny Committee on 16/02/2026 and shall extend full cooperation in expeditious decision of her caste claim.

v) Considering the fact that the petitioner is prosecuting her study, the respondent - Caste Scrutiny Committee shall decide caste claim of the petitioner as expeditiously as possible and preferably within six months.

vi) Till the caste claim of the petitioner is decided, respondent No.3- College shall not take any coercive action against the petitioner.

( ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J. ) ( SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J. ) VS Maind/-