The court emphasized the need for timely completion of caste verification proceedings and the disposal of the writ petition by the High Court.

Headnote:
Scrutiny Committee - Caste Verification - The court set aside the impugned order of the Divisional Caste Certificate Verification Committee and directed the Scrutiny Committee to complete the proceedings within six weeks, maintaining the status quo until the matter is finally disposed of by the High Court.
Fact of the Case:

The appellants challenged the remittance of caste verification to the Scrutiny Committee by the High Court, arguing that the Committee does not have the power of review.
Finding of the Court:

The court set aside the impugned order of the Divisional Caste Certificate Verification Committee and subsequent order, sustaining the High Court's directions regarding verification. The status quo was to be maintained until the matter is finally disposed of by the High Court.
Issues: Aggrievement by the appellants, power of the Scrutiny Committee, remittance of caste verification, and the status of the appellants.
Ratio Decidendi: The Scrutiny Committee was directed to complete the proceedings within six weeks, and the High Court was directed to dispose of the writ petition within another four weeks.
Final Decision: The appeals were disposed of, and the application for vacating stay was also disposed of with no costs imposed.

JUDGMENT :

Kurian, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. The appellants are aggrieved by the impugned order, whereby the High Court remitted the scrutiny of the caste verification of the appellants to the Scrutiny Committee.

3. The learned senior counsel appearing for the appellants rightly submits that the Scrutiny Committee does not have the power of review. But, on a close scrutiny of the impugned order, it is clear that the High Court intended the Committee to look into the matter afresh and not to exercise the power of review.

4. Anyway, for the purpose of completion of the records, we set aside the impugned order dated 20.01.2012 of the Divisional Caste Certificate Verification Committee, Amaravati and subsequent order dated 26.08.2013 of the Divisional Caste Certificate Verification Committee, Amaravati. Rest of the directions of the High Court regarding verification are sustained.

5. However, it is made clear that the status quo, as on today, will continue with regard to the status of the appellants, till the matter is finally disposed of by the High Court.

6. It is informed that the term is going to expire in January, 2017. We direct the Scrutiny Committee to complete the proceedings within six weeks from the date of production of a copy of this Judgment by either party and thereafter, the High Court may dispose of the writ petition within another four weeks.

7. With the above observations and directions, these appeals are disposed of. I.A. No. 7 for vacating stay is also disposed of.

No costs.

Click Here to Read the rest of this document