1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY APPELLATE SIDE, BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.5305 OF 2010 Shaikh Firdouse d/o Shaikh Abdul Samad, Age 18 years, Occupation Student, R/o Galibnagar, Darga Road, Parbhani ... PETITIONER VERSUS 1. The State of Maharashtra, through Government Pleader, High Court, at Aurangabad. 2. Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, through its Member/ Secretary, Aurangabad Division, Aurangabad ... RESPONDENTS ..... Mrs. A.N. Ansari, Advocate for the petitioner Shri S.K. Kadam, A.G.P. for respondents ..... CORAM: P.V. HARDAS & N.D. DESHPANDE, JJ. DATED: 21st June, 2010 ORAL JUDGMENT (PER HARDAS, J.) 1. Rule. Rule returnable forthwith. With the consent of learned counsel for the parties, this petition is heard finally at this stage. 2. By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of 2 India, the petitioner prays for issuance of a writ directing the respondent Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner within a particular time as the said claim is said to be pending since 2008. 3. Undisputedly, the petitioner’s caste claim has been forwarded to the respondent/ Scrutiny Committee and is pending since 2008. Originally, the caste claim was pending before the Committee at Latur, but the same has now been transferred to the Committee at Aurangabad. The petitioner, who aspires to obtain admission for professional courses, faces a hurdle in the absence of a validity certificate in her favour. In that light of the matter, therefore, we are inclined to allow this petition. We, accordingly, allow this petition and direct the petitioner to appear before the respondent/ Scrutiny Committee on 5/7/2010 and further direct the respondent/ Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner, in accordance with law, within period of six months of 5/7/2010. 4. Rule is thus made absolute on the above terms with no order as to costs. (N.D. DESHPANDE, J.) (P.V. HARDAS, J.)