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High Court of Gujarat

MANISHA HIRABHAI KODIYATARversusTHE GENERAL MANAGER (AD.),GSRTC

Decided
Disposal
58-RULE ISSUED & RULE ABSOLUTE/ALLOWED @FH

Holding

The Court held that the respondents must grant the petitioner a provisional appointment subject to the Scrutiny Committee’s final decision, following the earlier precedent.

Summary

Manisha Hirabhai Kodiatar, selected for the post of Conductor (Class 3) in GSRTC, was not appointed because the Scrutiny Committee had not verified her caste certificate. She filed a petition seeking direction for a provisional appointment. The Court noted a prior decision (Special Civil Application No. 1858 of 2021, affirmed by a Division Bench in Letters Patent Appeal No. 984 of 2021) where a similar delay compelled the authorities to grant a provisional appointment. Relying on that precedent, the Court ordered the respondents to give the petitioner a provisional appointment as Helper (Class 3) within four months, subject to the final determination of the certificate’s genuineness. If the certificate is later found not genuine, the appointment may be terminated; if genuine, the petitioner will be entitled to seniority and other benefits. The petition was disposed of with these directions.

Issues considered

  • The Scrutiny Committee’s delay in verifying the petitioner’s caste certificate amounts to a denial of her appointment.
  • Whether the respondents are obligated to grant a provisional appointment pending verification, in line with earlier judicial precedent.

Subjects

  • caste certificate verification
  • provisional appointment
  • reservation
  • Scrutiny Committee
  • precedent
  • administrative law
  • GSRTC

Judgment

     C/SCA/1732/2026                                        ORDER DATED: 12/02/2026




           IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD

              R/SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION NO.1732 of 2026

==========================================================
                     MANISHA HIRABHAI KODIYATAR
                                Versus
               THE GENERAL MANAGER (AD.),GSRTC & ANR.
==========================================================
Appearance :
MR HARDIK D MUCHHALA for the Petitioner.
MR AAKASH GUPTA, AGP for the Respondent No.2.
MR HS MUNSHAW for the Respondent No.1.
=========================================

 CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE NIRZAR S. DESAI

                              Date : 12/02/2026
                               ORAL ORDER


1.             Heard learned Advocate Mr. Hardik D. Muchhala on
behalf of the petitioner and learned Assistant Government Pleader
on behalf of the respondents – State and learned advocate Mr. H. S.
Munshaw for the respondent No.1.


2.             Rule,     returnable     forthwith.           Learned        Assistant
Government Pleader waives service of rule on behalf of the
respondent – State.


3.             By way of this petition, the petitioner inter alia
challenges      the    inaction   on   part      of   the    respondents,         more
particularly, the Scrutiny Committee of not verifying the caste
certi1cate issued in favour of the petitioner, which has led to the
petitioner, who is selected for the post of Conductor, Class 3, but,
not getting appointment.


4.    Learned Advocate Mr. Hardik D. Muchhala would draw the


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       C/SCA/1732/2026                          ORDER DATED: 12/02/2026




attention of this Court to an order of learned Co- ordinate Bench
dated 26.07.2021 which has been con1rmed by Hon’ble Division
Bench vide an order dated 25.11.2021 and whereas learned
Advocate would submit that in a similar scenario, since the
Scrutiny Committee had not veri1ed the caste certi1cate within
reasonable time, the learned Co-ordinate Bench was pleased to
direct the respondent authorities to give provisional appointment to
the petitioner therein more particularly within a period of two
months from the date of receipt of writ of the Court and whereas it
was also clari1ed that if the caste certi1cate of the petitioner was
found not to be genuine, the petitioner would not be entitled to
bene1t of provisional appointment. It was further clari1ed that if
the caste certi1cate was found genuine it will be open for the
petitioner to claim actual appointment from the date his juniors
were appointed and also continuity of service and other bene1ts.


4.1.             Learned Advocate Mr. Hardik D. Muchhala would also
draw the attention of this Court to order dated 25.11.2021 passed
by Hon’ble Division Bench in Letters Patent Appeal No.984 of 2021
whereby the above-referred order of learned Co-ordinate Bench
had been challenged and whereas vide said order, the Hon’ble
Court had also rejected the challenge, con1rming the order of the
Hon’ble Division Bench. Learned Advocate Mr. Hardik D. Muchhala
submit that since the issue in question in the petition before the
Hon’ble Co-ordinate Bench and the subject in issue in the present
petition being the same, this Court may pass similar order in this
petition also.


5.               Learned   Assistant   Government   Pleader      for      the
respondents, while could not dispute the fact about orders being


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     C/SCA/1732/2026                           ORDER DATED: 12/02/2026




passed by the learned Co-ordinate Bench and whereas, the same
being con1rmed by the Hon’ble Division Bench, and would submit
that the State is contemplating to have a comprehensive exercise
more particularly considering the fact that certain aspects of the
issue in dispute are pending before the Hon’ble Division Bench.
She would further submit that in any case, if, similar orders were to
be passed then some more time may be granted to the Government.


6.             Having regard to the submissions made by learned
Advocates for the parties, in the considered opinion of this Court,
order dated 26.07.2021 passed by learned Co- ordinate Bench in
Special Civil Application No. 1858 of 2021 con1rmed by Hon’ble
Division Bench was passed in similar set of facts and therefore the
decision would be binding on this Court and whereas judicial
propriety demands that this Court should also follow the same view
as laid down by learned Co-ordinate Bench con1rmed by Hon’ble
Division Bench.


7.             Having regard to the same, it is directed that the
respondents shall give provisional appointment to the petitioner, to
the post of Helper, Class 3, subject to the 1nal decision taken by
the Scrutiny Committee. Such order shall be issued by the
respondents within a period of four months from the date of receipt
of writ of this order.


8.             It is clari1ed that in case the Scrutiny Committee
comes to a conclusion before the period of four months that the
caste certi1cate produced by the petitioner was not genuine then
the respondents are not required to give provisional appointment
to the present petitioner. In this regard that it is further clari1ed


                               Page 3 of 5
      C/SCA/1732/2026                                    ORDER DATED: 12/02/2026




that before 1nally deciding as to the genuineness of the caste
certi1cate, all procedure as contemplated under the law shall be
followed by the respondents.


8.1             It is   further   clari1ed        that in case the Scrutiny
Committee does not take any decision as regards the genuineness
of the caste certi1cate then provisional appointments shall be
issued to the petitioner on the post referred to herein above and
whereas, after the Scrutiny Committee comes to a conclusion, as
regards the veracity and genuineness of the caste certi1cate of the
petitioner then;


(A)             in case if the caste certi1cate is not found to be
genuine, it would be for the respondents to forthwith terminate the
services of the petitioner or not to further extend provisional
appointment,


(B)             if the caste certi1cate is found to be genuine, then, it
will be open for the petitioner to claim seniority and all other
bene1ts including, but not limited to, continuity of service etc., as
would be available to the petitioner from the date, when juniors to
the present petitioner had been appointed to the post in question.


9.              With the aforesaid directions, present petition stands
disposed of.


9.1             The petitioner is directed to cooperate with the process
of scrutiny of the documents by producing original documents, as
and when called by the Scrutiny Committee.




                                    Page 4 of 5
         C/SCA/1732/2026                                                              ORDER DATED: 12/02/2026




 9.1.1                Learned Advocate, Mr. Muchhala, submitted that the
 petitioner will cooperate with the Scrutiny Committee in the
 aforesaid exercise, but, the petitioner may be informed about the
 date and time, on which to appear before the Scrutiny Committee
 in advance, by way of speed post, which shall be done by the
 Committee. Rule is made absolute to the above extent.


                      Direct service is permitted.


                                                                                   (NIRZAR S. DESAI,J)



 SAVARIYA
Original copy of this order has been signed by the Hon'ble Judge.
Digitally signed by: RAJNISH NARENDRA SAVARIYA(HC00179), PRINCIPAL PRIVATE SECRETARY, at High Court of Gujarat on 12/02/2026 17:31:29




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