-: 1 :- HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION Writ Petition No. 5850 of 2009 Devsing Ramsing Thakur. ..Petitioner. Versus State of Maharashtra & Others. ..Respondents. Mr. C. K. Bhagnoji i/b Mr. R. K. Mendadkar for the Petitioner. Mr. C. R. Sonawane, AGP for the Respondent – State Coram : S. B. Mhase & R. M. Savant, JJ. Date : September 9, 2009. P. C. : 1. Heard. The Petitioner has filed an application under Section 6 of the Maharashtra Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes (Vimukti Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Class and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000 (Maharashtra Act 23 of 2001) for validation of his caste certificate. For last 6 years the social status claim of the Petitioner is pending with the Caste Scrutiny Committee and it has not decided the same either way. By this petition, the Petitioner is only requesting -: 2 :- to decide the said claim expeditiously. 2. In the circumstances, we direct the Scrutiny Committee to decide the application of the Petitioner filed under section 6 of the said Act within a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 3. If till this date the Vigilance Cell enquiry has not been completed, the same shall be carried out within a period of six weeks. If the report of the Vigilance Cell is adverse to the Petitioner, a copy of the said report shall be served upon the petitioner and Petitioner shall be given sufficient opportunity to meet out the said report and after hearing the Petitioner matter shall be decided. 4. With the aforesaid directions, the instant petition is disposed of. (R.M.SAVANT, J.) (S.B.MHASE, J.)