1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.7025 OF 2010 Viswanath S/o Govind Popalwad, Age 27 years, Occu.Education, R/o Walki, Taluka Hadgaon, District Nanded ..PETITIONER VERSUS 1. The State of Maharashtra, Through Secretary to Tribal Development Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai 2. The Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Verification Committee, Aurangabad Through its Dy.Director (R), Aurangabad 3. The Sub Divisional Officer, Bhokar, District Nanded ..RESPONDENTS Mr.S.M.Vibhute, Advocate for petitioner Mrs.A.V.Gondhalekar, Assistant Government Pleader for respondents 1 and 3 Mr.R.P.Phatke, Advocate for respondent no.2 CORAM : P.V. HARDAS AND N.D. DESHPANDE, JJ DATE : 5th August 2010 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER P.V.HARDAS, J.) 1. Rule. Rule returnable forthwith. With the consent of learned Counsel for the parties, this petition is heard finally at the stage of admission. 2 2. By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner impugns the order dated 25.3.2010 passed by the Sub Divisional Officer, Bhokar rejecting the application submitted by the petitioner and the order of the appellate authority dismissing the appeal. 3. The petitioner, who was desirous of obtaining a certificate as belonging to Koli Mahadev – Scheduled Tribe, submitted an application before the Sub Divisional Officer, Bhokar. The petitioner along with his application also annexed copy of the caste certificate issued to his father. The Sub Divisional Officer, for reasons which were not germane for deciding the application rejected the said application. Since the father of the petitioner has been issued with the caste certificate, according to us, the petitioner also ought to have been issued with the caste certificate. 4. In that light, writ petition is allowed, impugned orders are quashed and set aside and the Sub Divisional Officer, Bhokar is directed to forthwith issue caste certificate to the petitioner as belonging to Koli Mahadev – Scheduled Tribe. Rule made absolute on the above terms with no orders as to costs. ( N.D.DESHPANDE ) ( P.V.HARDAS ) JUDGE JUDGE (vvr/7025.10wp)