Ganesh Maroti Jagtap v. The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And ORS

(1)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

BENCH AT AURANGABAD 950 WRIT PETITION NO. 3471 OF 2026 1.

Ganesh S/o Maroti Jagtap, Age : 26 Years, Occ. Servie, R/o. At post Nimgaon, Tq. Ardhapur, Dist. Nanded.

..PETITIONER

VERSUS

1.

The State of Maharashtra, Forest Department, Through its Principal Secretary, Mantralaya, Mumbai.

2.

Scheduled Tribe Certificate Verification Committee, Kinwat-1, Headquarter Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Through its Deputy Director (Research) and Member Secretary.

3.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (HOFF), IIIrd Floor, Van Bhavan, Ramgiri Road, Near Police Gymkhana, CBI Colony, Civil Lines, Nagpur, Maharashtra 440001.

4.

Additional Chief Conservator of Forests (Admin Subordinate Cadre) M.S. Nagpur, 2nd Floor, Van Bhavan, Ramgiri Road, Civil Lines, Nagpur 440 001.

5.

Additional Chief Conservator of Forests and Nodal Officer, M.S. Nagpur 1st Floor, Van Bhavan, Ramgiri Road, Civil Lines, Nagpur 440 001.

..RESPONDENTS ...

Advocate for the Petitioner : Mr. Chandrakant R Thorat AGP for Respondent/State: Mr. G. A. Kulkarni ...

CORAM :

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

DATED : APRIL 02, 2026

(2) FINAL ORDER (PER ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J):- 1.

Heard.

2.

By this Writ Petition, the petitioner is seeking expeditious disposal of his tribe claim of belonging to "Koli Mahadev" Scheduled Tribe, which is pending with the respondent/Scrutiny Committee since 3rd October 2025.

3.

The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that during pendency of the tribe claim, the employer of the petitioner has issued show cause notice on 24.08.2025 thereby calling upon him to submit his tribe validity certificate, failing which his services would be brought to an end.

4.

In that view of the matter, we direct the respondent/Scrutiny Committee to decide the tribe claim of the petitioner as expeditiously as possible and preferably within a period of four months from today. 5.

Till the tribe claim of the petitioner is decided, the employers of the petitioner shall not take any coercive action against the petitioner solely on the ground of non-submission of validity certificate,. 6.

Needless to state that the protection granted by this Court will operate only till the tribe claim of the petitioner is decided and he will not claim any equities.

(3) 7.

With these directions the Writ Petition stands disposed of. (ABASAHEB D. SHINDE) (SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE) JUDGE JUDGE YSK/