R.K. Deshpande, J.

1. The challenge in this petition is to the order dated 2-3-2013 passed by the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Gadchiroli, Division Nagpur, invalidating the claim of the petitioner for 'Mana' (Scheduled Tribe Category) and consequently cancelling and confiscating the certificate dated 28-4-2011 issued in the name of the petitioner as belonging to 'Mana', Scheduled Tribe, which is an Entry No.18 in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

2. Before the Committee, the petitioner produced about six documents, which all record the caste of the petitioner and his blood relatives as 'Mana'. The oldest document is the revenue record of the year 1919-20 in the name of Patralya Bijya, the real grandfather of the petitioner. The another document is the school leaving certificate in the name of the father of the petitioner, in which an entry 'Mana' was made on 1-4-1946 at the time of admission in the school. The petitioner produced the caste validity certificate dated 19-10-2005 in the name of Ramesh Sabalu, the cousin brother of the petitioner, and the another validity certificate dated 25-11-2010 in the name of Giraja Kawadu, the cousin sis