Bombay High Court

PRATIKSHA DATTATRAYA TUMKUTE (MINOR)versusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND ANOTHER

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

Holding

The Court directed the Scrutiny Committee to decide the petitioner’s tribe claim by the end of June 2026.

Summary

The petitioner, a minor represented by her father, filed a writ petition seeking a court direction for the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee to expedite the determination of his claim of belonging to the Koli Mahadev tribe. The claim had been pending since 29 May 2025, and the petitioner needed a valid certificate to appear for the NEET‑UG‑2026 examination. The petitioner offered to rely on a Vigilance Cell enquiry report already on record concerning his brother. The Court, after hearing counsel, directed the Scrutiny Committee to decide the tribe claim as soon as possible, preferably by the end of June 2026. Accordingly, the writ petition was disposed.

Issues considered

Whether the High Court can direct the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee to decide a pending tribe claim within a specific timeframe.

Subjects

Scheduled Tribe certificate
tribal development
writ petition
expeditious disposal
NEET eligibility
Koli Mahadev

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:20165-DB
                                                  (1)
                                                                945- W.P. 4835-2026.odt
                     IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                                 WRIT PETITION NO.4835 OF 2026

                        Pratiksha D/o Dattatrya Tumkute (Minor),
                        Through her father Dattatray Ambaji Tumkute,
                        Age : 50 Years, Occ. Service,
                        R/o. Tambala Tq. Nilanga, Dist. Latur. ..PETITIONER

                             VERSUS

                1.      The State of Maharashtra,
                        Tribal Development Department,
                        Mantralaya, Mumbai-32.
                        Through its Secretary

                2.      The Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny
                        Committee, Kinwat-2 offices at
                        Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar         ..RESPONDENTS

                                               ….
                        Advocate for the petitioner : Mr. Vivekanand U. Jadhav
                        AGP for Respondent/State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale
                                               ….

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

                                   DATED :      APRIL 30, 2026

                ORAL ORDER( PER ABASAHEB D. SHINDE,J):-

                1.      Heard.



                2.      By this Writ Petition, the petitioner seeks direction to the

                respondent/Scrutiny Committee for expeditious disposal of his tribe

                claim of belonging to “Koli Mahadev”, Scheduled Tribe, which is

                pending before the respondent/Scrutiny Committee since 29.05.2025.
                                    (2)
                                                    945- W.P. 4835-2026.odt
3.     The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that, the

Vigilance Cell Enquiry report submitted in the case of his real brother

namely Swapnil Dattatraya Tumkute is already on record and he is

ready to adopt the same.



4.     In that view of the matter, considering the fact that petitioner is

desirous of appearing for NEET-(UG)-2026 examination, and needs

validity, we direct the respondent/Scrutiny Committee to make an

endeavour to decide the tribe claim of the petitioner as expeditiously

as possible and preferably by the end of June 2026.



5.     With this direction, the Writ Petition stands disposed of.



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




YSK/

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