A.S. OKA, J.

By this Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the Petitioner has impugned the judgment and order dated 8th October 2012 passed by the Scheduled Tribes Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Konkan Division. Thane (hereinafter referred to as "the Scrutiny Committee"). The matter of verification of the caste claim of the Petitioner was referred to the Scrutiny Committee. The Petitioner claimed that he belongs to the caste "Thakur" which is a Scheduled Tribe. The Petitioner was employed with the Fire Brigade of the third Respondent - Municipal Corporation and the caste claim of the Petitioner was forwarded to the Scrutiny Committee for verification. Earlier, the caste claim of the Petitioner was invalidated by the Scrutiny Committee and, thereafter, a Writ Petition was filed by the Petitioner in which an order of remand was passed. The judgment and order has been passed after remand.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the Petitioner submitted that the Scrutiny Committee has completely ignored that the Petitioner had filed a reply to the report of the Vigilance Cell. He pointed out that the school record of the Petitioner's father shows that the caste o