IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND AT NAINITAL Writ Petition PIL No. 686 of 2008 Sri Ramsukh & others. .……… Petitioners Versus Union of India & others. ………. Respondents Mr. Chandra Shekhar, Advocate for the petitioners. Ms. Anjali Bhargava, Standing Counsel (Central Govt.) for respondent No. 1. Mr. P.C. Bisht, Brief Holder for respondents Nos. 2 & 3. JUDGMENT Coram: Hon’ble V.K. Gupta, C.J. Hon’ble V.K. Bist, J. V.K. GUPTA, C. J. (Oral) A very simple and limited prayer has been made in this Writ Petition. The prayer is reproduced verbatim, which reads thus: “a) issue writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus the respondents to pronounce and promulgate the transparent and categorical policy, commensurate with the constitutional Scheme as symbolized by the tenets of Articles 14, 16, 21, 340, 341 and 342 of the Constitution of India, pertaining to the criteria and procedure to be followed for the purpose of issuing the Domicile Certificate, Scheduled Caste Certificate and Backward Class Certificate; b) pass such other and further orders as this Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.” What we could deduce from a plain reading of the aforesaid prayer is that the petitioner wants us to issue a mandamus directing the respondents to pronounce and promulgate a policy commensurate with the Constitutional Scheme relating to the criteria and procedure to be followed for the issuance of the Domicile Certificates (Permanent Resident Certificates) and the certificates relating to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes. Counter affidavit has been filed by the respondents. A reading of the counter affidavit, its annexures and the annexures appended with the Writ Petition clearly reveals to us that there is a complete answer to the aforesaid 2 limited prayer of the petitioner because, indeed, the State Government has adopted a policy and issued orders prescribing criteria as well as procedure for the purposes of issuing the aforesaid Certificates. In this petition, we are not called upon to examine as to whether the policies of the State Government suffer or do not suffer from any mischief, defect or constitutional vires. Insofar as the Domicile Certificates are concerned, Communication dated 20th November, 2001 bearing No. 2588/,d&4@lk-iz-@2001 lays down, in material particulars, the eligibility criteria as well as the procedure for issuance of Domicile Certificates. This Communication is followed by a subsequent Communication dated 26th September, 2002 and yet another dated 9th February, 2004, which together clearly spell out the procedure as well as the eligibility criteria for issuance of Domicile Certificates. Insofar as the Caste Certificates are concerned, on 6th February, 2004, the State Government had issued a Communication regarding the issuance of Caste Certificates, which was amended / modified / superceded by a subsequent Communication dated 27th May, 2004. Ultimately, the Communication dated 22nd June, 2006 was issued which contains elaborate and detailed procedure as well as eligibility criteria for issuance of the Caste Certificates. The aforesaid is a complete answer insofar as the limited prayer of the writ petitioner is concerned. The writ petition is dismissed. (V.K. Bist, J.) (V.K. Gupta, C. J.) 04.06.2009 04.06.2009 G