23.12.wp6361.11 1/3 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO. 6361 /2011 (Mohd.Yusuf Mohd,. Shafi Punjani vs. The State of Maharashtra and others ) .................................................................................................................................................................... Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's order of directions and Registrar's orders ..................................................................................................................................................................... CORAM : D.D.SINHA & A.P.BHANGALE, JJ DATED : 23rd December, 2011. Heard Mr. A.M.Ghare with Mr. R. K.Thakkar, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr S.J.Jichkar, learned Assistant Government Pleader for respondents. The petitioner is seeking a direction to the respondent no.3-Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner in accordance with law and procedure applicable in this regard on or before 27.12.2011 since the petitioner has submitted his nomination paper for contesting the election for the post of President, Municipal Council, Karanja from Other Backward Class (“Kachhai”). Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that as per the instructions received by the petitioner, the caste certificate which was referred to the Scrutiny Committee for verification, the Police Vigilance Cell after conducting home enquiry already submitted the report to the Scrutiny Committee. A 23.12.wp6361.11 2/3 copy of the report was also served on the petitioner who has already filed his reply to the said vigilance report. It is in these circumstances, the learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the Committee only has to list the matter for hearing and conclude the issue one way or other other and, therefore, appropriate direction in this regard be given. Mr. S.J.Jichkar, learned Assistant Govt. Pleader for want of instructions, is unable to assist the Court in this regard and prayed for time to file reply. It is submitted by the learned AGP that it would be difficult to pass a final order in the verification proceedings within such a short span of time. We have considered the contentions canvassed by the respective counsel. In the backdrop of the above-referred facts, it appears that the vigilance cell has already submitted its report and reply to that, has already been filed by the petitioner. It is in these circumstances, we direct the Respondent no.3-Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner as far as possible in accordance with law and procedure applicable in this regard on or before 27.12.2011. With the above observations and directions, 23.12.wp6361.11 3/3 Writ Petition is disposed of. Steno copy allowed. JUDGE JUDGE sahare