JUDGEMENT
S.B.SINHA, J. -
(1.) LEAVE granted.
(2.) THE appellant claims himself to be a member of ï¿ 1/2Halbaï¿ 1/2 community. ï¿ 1/2Halbaï¿ 1/2 is a Scheduled Tribe. He obtained admission in the courses of
Bachelor of Engineering (Instrumentation Engineering) in Pune University,
(Respondent No. 4), claiming himself to be belonging to ï¿ 1/2Halbaï¿ 1/2 a
Scheduled Tribe community. According to the appellant, the question as to
whether ï¿ 1/2Koshti-Halbasï¿ 1/2 are members of Scheduled Tribe or not had been
authoritatively decided for the first time in State of Maharashtra v.
Milind & Ors. [(2001) 1 SCC 4] and in that view of the matter, he had
represented himself to be a member of Scheduled Tribe. Drawing our
attention to the fact that even in Milind (supra), this Court directed
that those, who have completed their courses from the universities,
should be allowed to obtain degrees and get the benefit thereof as
general candidates, the appellant was also entitled to a similar relief.
Indisputably, the Caste Scrutiny Committee constituted in terms of the decision of this Court in Kumari Madhuri Patil & Anr. v. Additional
Commissioner, Tribal Development & Ors. [(1994) 6 SCC 241] invalidated
the caste certificate granted in favour of the appellant. In the writ
petition filed by him thereagainst, an interim order was passed in his
favour, in terms whereof he obtained admission in the course of Bachelor
of Engineering (Instrumentation Engineering) in the Government
Engineering College, Pune, which is affiliated to the respondent No.
(3.) -University. The High Court allowed the writ petition and remitted the matter back to the Scrutiny Committee. His claim was rejected by the
Scrutiny Committee by an order dated 30th September, 2002. In a writ
petition filed by him before the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court
questioning the said order of 30th September, 2002, no interim relief was
granted, but, the appellant continued with his studies. The said writ
petition was dismissed for default, but, it was restored. He completed
his studies in the year 2004. He appeared at the examination. An
application was filed by him for a direction to respondent No.
4-University to supply him the degree along with the marksheet. However, in the meantime, the writ petition itself was dismissed on merits. Thus,
no order was also passed on the said application. The review application
filed by the appellant herein has been dismissed by the High Court by
reason of the impugned order.
4. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant merely urged that this Court may issue a direction to the University to grant him the
degree as he has completed his courses of studies in the meantime.;
Click here to view full judgement.
Copyright © Regent Computronics Pvt.Ltd.