1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.7300 OF 2008 Vipeen Mahadeo Thakur .. Petitioner Vs. Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee & Anr. .. Respondents Mr.A.S.Khandeparkar i/b M/s.Khandeparkar & Associates for the petitioner Mr.C.R.Sonawane, A.G.P. for respondent nos.1 and 2 CORAM : J. N. Patel & Smt. Mridula Bhatkar, JJ DATE : June 23, 2009 P.C. : 1. Heard. 2. The petitioner has impugned the order dated 16.05.2008 passed by the respondent Schedule Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Konkan Division, Thane. The petitioner claims that he belongs to caste Thakar which is ‘ ’ notified as Scheduled Tribe and are the residents of District Sindhudurg. The Committee has examined the documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his caste claim and found that there is variance in so far as the caste is concerned. The petitioner himself writes his surname as Thakur whereas he claims to be Thakar. Apart from the discrepancies in the documents on which 2 reliance is placed, the petitioner has also failed to satisfy the date on the affinity test. The Committee has carefully examined the primitive traits, distinct culture, geographical isolation, distinct dialect, animism, subsistence economy, shyness of contact with outside world and backwardness which are the normal parameters to cross check whether the person has any affinity to the tribe which is claimed and found that the petitioner has miserably failed to satisfy the affinity test. 3. These petitions were pending before this court due to reference made to the larger bench. Now the larger bench has taken a decision and has found that it is obligatory on the part of person claiming belonging to a particular caste or tribe to place on record evidence to that effect including that he has affinity towards the said caste or tribe. 4. We find that the impugned decision does not suffer from any error or illegality. The committee has considered the caste claim of the petitioner by conducting an in depth inquiry which has exposed the claim of the petitioner. Therefore, the decision of the Committee to invalidate his caste certificate and confiscate the same does not call for any interference. Petition is dismissed with cost. ( J. N. Patel, J) (Smt.Mridula Bhatkar, J)