SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
R.V. Raveendran, A.K. Patnaik, JJ.
Sunil - Petitioner
Versus
State of Maharashtra and others - Respondents
SLP(C) No. 3039-3040 of 2011
Decided On : 09-05-2011
Claim of compensation - Challenging the impugned order of the High Court – Evidence - High Court by impugned judgment dated dismissed said writ petition and application of petitioner, as a consequence rejecting caste claim of petitioner - Feeling aggrieved, petitioner has filed these special leave petitions challenging impugned order of High Court – Held, In this case petitioner who was admitted to MBBS Course has completed course and has also passed examination - In such circumstances this Court in State of Maharashtra v. and others and in State of Maharashtra & Ors. permitted students concerned to retain benefit of studies undergone by them and the degree obtained in pursuance of it subject to the condition that candidate shall not claim any benefit of reservation in future - In view of the above, while upholding the decision of High Court direct that petitioners admission shall not be cancelled and that the petitioner will be entitled to benefit of MBBS Course already undergone by him subject to petitioner filing an affidavit within four weeks from today undertaking not to claim any further benefit/concession of reservation as belonging to Scheduled Tribe throughout his life - He will not be entitled to seek any benefit/concession of reservation in future either for further studies or for employment - It is also made clear that if he has obtained any concession or benefit by way of reduction in fee as a reserved candidate he will have to make good same by paying the difference in fees if not already paid - It is made clear that petitioner will be entitled to the benefits of degree only after making good payment - This order will not enable any relative of petitioner to claim any benefit of reservation – Petition disposed of
ORDER :
1. The petitioner was provisionally admitted to MBBS course in the third Respondent College in the year 2004, by securing the benefit of reservation as a candidate belonging to the Scheduled Tribe of 'Mahadeo Koli'. The Caste Scrutiny Committee, by order dated 31.12.2005 invalidated the petitioner's caste claim. The petitioner filed a writ petition (W.P. No. 3067 of 2006) in the Bombay High Court challenging the said order dated 31.12.2005 of Caste Scrutiny Committee. The High Court, by interim order dated 6.10.2006, protected the admission of the petitioner. Subsequently, the High Court by order dated 27.2.2009, disposed of the writ petition directing Caste Scrutiny Committee to decide the caste claim of the petitioner afresh. The Caste Scrutiny Committee after giving personal hearing to the petitioner invalidated the caste claim of the petitioner vide its order dated 19.5.2009. Aggrieved by the said order, the petitioner preferred W.P. No.5066/2009 before the High Court. In the said petition, he also filed Civil Application No. 9066/2010 for issue of a Degree Certificate, as he had already completed the MBBS Course and passed the examination. The High Court by the impugned judgment dated 13.12.2010 dismissed the said writ petition and application of the petitioner, as a consequence rejecting the caste claim of the petitioner. Feeling aggrieved, the petitioner has filed these special leave petitions challenging the impugned order of the High Court.
2. On considering the matter, we are of the view that the petitioner has not made out any case for interfering with the finding of the Caste Scrutiny Committee which has been affirmed by the High court. The special Leave Petition in the normal course would have to be dismissed.
3. In this case the petitioner who was admitted to the MBBS Course in 2004 has completed the course and has also passed the examination. In such circumstances, this Court in State of Maharashtra v. Milind and others, 2001 (1) SCC 4 and in Yogesh Ramchandra Naikwadi v. State of Maharashtra & Ors., 2008 (5) SCC 652, permitted the students concerned to retain the benefit of the studies undergone by them and the degree obtained in pursuance of it subject to the condition that the candidate shall not claim any benefit of reservation in future.
4. In view of the above, while upholding the decision of the High Court, we direct that the petitioner's admission shall not be cancelled and that the petitioner will be entitled to the benefit of the MBBS Course already undergone by him subject to the petitioner filing an affidavit within four weeks from today undertaking not to claim any further benefit/concession of reservation as belonging to "Mahadeo Koli" Scheduled Tribe throughout his life. He will not be entitled to seek any benefit/concession of reservation in future either for further studies or for employment. It is also made clear that if he has obtained any concession or benefit by way of reduction in fee as a reserved candidate, he will have to make good the same by paying the difference in fees, if not already paid. It is made clear that the petitioner will be entitled to the benefits of the degree only after making good the payment. This order will not enable any relative of the petitioner to claim any benefit of reservation.
5. The Special Leave Petitions are disposed of accordingly.
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.