Bombay High Court
VIMAL ANANDRAO MALI SUREWADversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS
- Disposal
- DISPOSED OFF
Holding
The Court allowed the writ petitions and ordered the issuance of validity certificates to the petitioners of the Mannervarlu Scheduled Tribe.
Summary
The petitioners, members of the Mannervarlu community, sought validation of their Scheduled Tribe status and issuance of caste certificates. Their applications were rejected by the Scrutiny Committee, prompting them to file multiple writ petitions. The Court noted that a relative, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali, whose similar petition (Writ Petition No. 4889 of 2024) had been allowed, established a precedent for validation. Relying on that decision and the undisputed familial relationship, the Court chose to dispense with a detailed factual inquiry. Consequently, the Court allowed all the pending writ petitions and directed the Scrutiny Committee to issue validity certificates to the petitioners, subject to any future reopening of the validation proceedings.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioners belonging to the Mannervarlu community are entitled to Scheduled Tribe status and corresponding validity certificates.
- Whether the validation of a relative’s caste certificate can be extended to other family members in the same community.
Subjects
- Scheduled Tribe
- Mannervarlu
- caste certificate validation
- writ petition
- validity certificate
- Scrutiny Committee
Judgment
2026:BHC-AUG:2220-DB
1 949-WP-4135-2024.odt
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY,
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
949 WRIT PETITION NO. 4135 OF 2024
Vimal Anandrao Mali Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
...
Mr. Chandrakant R. Thorat, Advocate for the Petitioner
Mr. N. B. Patil, AGP for Respondents/State
Mr. S. B. Pulkundwar, Advocate for Respondent No.2 in Writ Petition
Nos.4135/2024, 4144/2024, 4259/2024, 4257/2024, 4258/2024
Ms. Anagha Rotte, Advocate for Respondent No.3 in Writ Petition
No.4185/2024
Mr. R. K. Ingole, Advocate for Respondent No.2
...
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4256 OF 2024
Parbhata Ganpati Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4258 OF 2024
Suryakant Amruta Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Another
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4186 OF 2024
Varsha Prabhatrao Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Thorugh Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4144 OF 2024
Govind Ananda Suryawad Surewad
VERSUS
Narwade/
2 949-WP-4135-2024.odt
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4185 OF 2024
Madhav Ganpati Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4259 OF 2024
Laxmi Kishan Suryawad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 4257 OF 2024
Govind Sambhaji Surewad
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Principal Secretary And Others
…
CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND
ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.
DATED : JANUARY 17, 2026
P.C.:
1. Heard.
2. All these petitioners claimed to have belonging to ‘Mannervarlu’,
Scheduled Tribe. Their caste certificates were subjected to validation.
Along with these petitioners one namely, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @
Surewad whose tribe claim was refused by Respondent/Scrutiny
Committee by the same impugned judgment and order have
approached this Court by filing Writ Petition No.4889 of 2024 and this
Court by order dated 04.09.2025 has allowed the said Writ Petition by
setting aside the impugned judgment and order herein.
Narwade/
3 949-WP-4135-2024.odt
3. Without going into the merit and the factual matrix, we propose
to dispose of these writ petitions, since the petitioners’ distinct relative
namely, Shankar s/o Laxman Mali @ Surewad whose writ petition has
been allowed by this Court and since there is no dispute with regard to
the relationships of the petitioners with that validity holder, we are
inclined to allow these Writ Petitions. Hence, following order :
ORDER
i. Writ Petition allowed.
ii. Respondent/Scrutiny Committee shall issue validity
certificate to the petitioners of Mannervarlu, Scheduled Tribe
immediately.
iii. The validity certificate granted to the petitioners shall
be subject to the decision that may be taken by the Scrutiny
Committee in case the validation proceedings in respect of
the validity holder relied by the petitioners are reopened.
[ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.] [SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J.]
Narwade/
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