JUDGMENT :

ABHAY AHUJA, J.

1. Rule. With consent of the counsel for the parties, rule made returnable forthwith and heard finally.

2. By this petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioner is challenging the legality and validity of the judgment and order dated 14th December 2017 passed by the District Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Kolhapur viz. Respondent No.2, rejecting/invalidating the caste claim of the petitioner as Gavali, Nomadic Tribe (B).

3. Brief facts leading upto this petition are that, petitioner who claims to belong to the Gavali community by birth applied to the Sub-Divisional Officer, Ichalkaranji for grant of caste certificate and was granted the same on 9th June 2010. Thereafter, petitioner intending to seek higher education, made an application before the second respondent-committee for verification of his caste certificate through his junior college alongwith the necessary documents, evidence in support of his claim to the Gavali, N. T. (B). It is stated that at the time of filing this petition, petitioner was pursuing biotechnology degree course in a reserved category seat in N.T. (B) in respondent no. 4-college viz. Kolhapur Ins