Bombay High Court

MAHAJAN DEVIDAS TANDALWADversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANR

Disposal: DISPOSED OFF
Bench: SANDIPKUMAR C MORE ABASAHEB D SHINDE

Holding

The Court directed the caste scrutiny committee to decide the petitioner’s Scheduled Tribe claim within six months.

Summary

Mahajan Devidas Tandalwad filed a writ petition seeking direction for the speedy verification of his claim that he belongs to the Mannervarlu Scheduled Tribe, a matter pending before the State's caste scrutiny committee since September 15, 2025. The petitioner argued that the delay adversely affected his studies. The Court considered whether it could intervene to expedite the committee's decision. It held that, given the petitioner's educational interests, the court could direct the committee to decide the claim promptly. Accordingly, the judges ordered the scrutiny committee to resolve the caste claim within six months and disposed of the petition.

Issues considered

Whether the High Court can direct the caste scrutiny committee to expedite the verification of a Scheduled Tribe claim pending before it.

Subjects

Scheduled Tribe
Caste verification
Writ petition
Expeditious decision
Education

Judgment

                                   (1)
                                                   935- W.P. 2948-2026.odt
          IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                     BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                935 WRIT PETITION NO. 2948 OF 2026

                  MAHAJAN DEVIDAS TANDALWAD
                                VERSUS
  THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND
                                   ANR
                                   …..
Advocate for the Petitioner : Mr. Jayewar Sainath Gangadhar
AGP for Respondent/State: Mrs. A. S. Deshmukh
                                   ….

                   CORAM :        SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND
                                  ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.
                   DATED :       MARCH 18, 2026

ORAL ORDER (PER ABASAHEB D. SHINDE):-

1.     Heard.

2.     The tribe claim of the petitioner of belonging to “Mannervarlu”

Scheduled Tribe is pending with respondent No.2/ Scrutiny committee

for its verification since 15.09.2025. The petitioner, therefore, seeks

direction that the same be expedited.

3.     Considering the fact that the petitioner is prosecuting his study,

we direct the respondent/caste scrutiny committee to decide the caste

claim of the petitioner as expeditiously as possible and preferably

within a period of six months.

4.     With this direction, the petition stands disposed of.



(ABASAHEB D. SHINDE)                     (SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE)
      JUDGE                                    JUDGE
YSK/

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