Pranav Rajabhau Koli v. The State Of Maharashtra Thr. Its Principal Secretary And ORS.

2026:BHC-AUG:20225-DB 1 40.WP.4898.26.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO. 4898 OF 2026 PRANAV RAJABHAU KOLI

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR.

ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND ORS.

...

Advocate for the Petitioner : Mr. O.D. Totawad h/f. Mr. Jadhav Ganesh Ramrao AGP for Respondents: Ms. A.S. Deshmukh ...

CORAM

: SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE & ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.

DATE : 04.05.2026 PER COURT (ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.) :

1.

Heard.

2.

The application filed by the petitioner seeking caste certificate of belonging to 'Koli Mahadev' scheduled tribe, was turned down by the respondent No.3 - Sub-Divisional Officer. The petitioner assailed the said order before the respondent No.2 - Scrutiny Committee. The Scrutiny Committee, however, by an order dated 31.02.2025, remanded the matter back to the respondent No.3 - Sub-Divisional Officer. The petitioner contends that after

2 40.WP.4898.26.odt remand of the matter, the Sub-Divisional Officer has not taken decision on the proceeding filed by the petitioner. 3.

Be that as it may, we find that once the matter has been remanded back to the Sub-Divisional Officer, the Sub-Divisional Officer was under obligation to decide the proceedings as expeditiously as possible. In that view of the matter, we direct the Sub-Divisional Officer to decide the application tendered by the petitioner seeking issuance of caste certificate without being influenced with the order passed by the Scrutiny Committee in accordance with law and on its own merits preferably within a period of 15 days from today. With this direction the writ petition stands disposed of.

(ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.) (SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J.) habeeb/