Repeated Inquiries For Verification Of Caste Certificate Detrimental To SC-ST Members: Supreme Court

Repeated inquiries for verification of caste certificates would be detrimental to the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Supreme Court observed.

The bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose said that the purpose of verification of caste certificates by Scrutiny Committees is to avoid false and bogus claims and reopening of inquiry can be only in case they are vitiated by fraud or when they were issued without proper inquiry.

In this case, one J. Chitra had filed a Writ Petition before the High court challenging the order passed by the Chennai District Vigilance Committee cancelling the community certificate. The High Court refused to interfere with the order passed by the committee.

In appeal, the Supreme Court noted that an inquiry was conducted by the District Level Vigilance Committee which upheld the community certificate in her favour and that was not challenged in any forum. The recognition of the community certificate issued in favour of the Appellant by the District Vigilance Committee having become final, the State Level Scrutiny Committee did not have jurisdiction to reopen the matter and remand for fresh consideration by the District Level Vigilance Committee, the court said.

"The purpose of verification of caste certificates by Scrutiny Committees is to avoid false and bogus claims. Repeated inquiries for verification of caste certificates would be detrimental to the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Reopening of inquiry into caste certificates can be only in case they are vitiated by fraud or when they were issued without proper inquiry", the bench observed.

The court then set aside the cancellation order passed by Chennai District Vigilance Committee.

Case: J. Chitra vs. District Collector and Chairman State Level Vigilance Committee ; CA 5160 of 2010
Citation: LL 2021 SC 413
Coram: Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose

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