Santosh S/O Ramaji Kavale v. The Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Through Its Member Secretary, Nagpur And

2026:BHC-NAG:7528-DB 1 1.WP.3982-2018.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

NAGPUR BENCH AT NAGPUR CIVIL APPLICATION (CAW) NO. 1202 OF 2025 IN WRIT PETITION NO. 3982 OF 2018 ( Santosh s/o Ramji Kavale Vs.

The Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur, Thr. its Member Secretary, having its office at Adivasi Bhavan, Giripeth, Amravati Road, Nagpur & Anr. ) Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Appearances, Court's orders or directions and Registrar's orders Court's or Judge's orders Mr. R.S. Parsodkar, Advocate for the Petitioner. Mr. S.S. Doifode, Addl.GP for the Respondent No.1. Mr. R.E. Moharir, Advocate for the Respondent No.2. CORAM: URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND NIVEDITA P. MEHTA, JJ.

DATED : 10th JUNE, 2026 1.

Heard.

2.

The present application has been moved by the petitioner seeking permission to withdraw the writ petition. 3.

The petitioner has instituted the present petition challenging the order dated 11.05.2018 passed by Respondent No.1, Scrutiny Committee invalidating his caste claim and also seeking quashment of the show cause notice dated 26.06.2018 issued by Respondent No.2, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

2 1.WP.3982-2018.odt 4.

During the pendency of the petition, the petitioner obtained a fresh caste certificate certifying him as belonging to the 'Binjwar' Scheduled Tribe and was thereafter granted a validity certificate by the Caste Scrutiny Committee, Gondia, on the basis of the validity certificate issued in favour of his real sister.

5.

This Court, by order dated 05.09.2024, had noted that the petitioner, a public servant claiming to belong to the 'Binjwar' Scheduled Tribe, had suffered an order of invalidation at the hands of Respondent No.1, Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur.

6.

It was also noted that, while passing the order of invalidation, the Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur was aware that the petitioner was holding three synonymous caste certificates dated 01.07.1997, 29.12.2014 issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer, Deori, and 13.02.2018; though the originals thereof were not produced before the Committee during the verification proceedings.

7.

Interim protection in respect of the petitioner's service came to be granted by this Court and the said protection has continued during the pendency of the petition. 8.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that subsequent to the filing of the petition, the petitioner approached the Caste Scrutiny Committee, Gondia, which, upon considering the validity certificate issued in favour of the petitioner's real sister on 29.04.2024, granted validity to

3 1.WP.3982-2018.odt the petitioner as belonging to the 'Binjwar' Scheduled Tribe. The said factual position is not disputed.

9.

Learned counsel appearing for Respondent No.2, however, submits that the petitioner's case was never referred for verification to the Gondia, Scrutiny Committee and, therefore, according to Respondent No.2, the reference purportedly forwarded on behalf of Respondent No.1 to the Gondia, Committee was not genuine.

10.

Learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for Respondent No.1, Scrutiny Committee submits that the pendency of the present writ petition was not disclosed before the Gondia, Scrutiny Committee while obtaining the subsequent validity certificate. He, therefore, seeks liberty for the competent authorities to take such action as may be permissible in law.

11.

Learned counsel appearing for Respondent Nos.1 and 2 submit, in ad idem, that in the event the petitioner is permitted to withdraw the present petition, liberty be reserved in favour of the respondents to initiate appropriate proceedings and take such action as may be available to them in accordance with law.

12.

Taking into consideration the aforesaid submissions and the request made on behalf of the petitioner, the petitioner is permitted to withdraw the writ petition. 13.

It is clarified that this Court has not examined the merits of the rival contentions and all questions are expressly

4 1.WP.3982-2018.odt kept open. The respondents shall be at liberty to take such action as may be permissible in law, if the facts and circumstances so warrant.

14.

The writ petition is accordingly disposed of as withdrawn. Civil Application (CAW) No.1202 of 2025 also stands disposed of.

(NIVEDITA P. MEHTA, J.) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.) SD. Bhimte Signed by: Mr.S.D.Bhimte Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 11/06/2026 14:48:09