S.A. BOBDE, J.

Rule returnable forthwith. Heard by consent.

2. The petitioner has challenged the order of the Caste Scrutiny Committee, dated 30.4.2009 holding the petitioner's caste claim as invalid. The petitioner claims that he belongs to Rajput Bhamta and he submitted his Caste Certificate for verification to the Caste Scrutiny Committee, Nagpur. The caste claim of the petitioner came to be decided by the Caste Scrutiny Committee constituted under the notification dated 12.2.2009 under Section 6 of the Maharashtra Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000 i.e. Act Maharashtra Act No. XXIII of 2001 [hereinafter referred to as the Act]. By the said notification the Government has constituted various Scrutiny Committees for various areas. Paragraph 2 of the notification provides as follows:

2. Each Scrutiny Committee shall consist of the following members, namely:-

1 Divisional Commissioner (Revenue)/ Additional Commissioner (Revenue) / Additional Collector (I.A.S.) / Additional Collector ( Selection G