JUDGMENT

Shrikant D. Kulkarni, J. - Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. With the consent of learned counsel for both the sides, taken up for final hearing at admission stage.

2. Feeling aggrieved by the impugned order passed by respondent No.3 / Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee, Nandurbar Division, Nandurbar (hereinafter referred to as the "committee") thereby invalidating caste claim of the petitioner as belonging to "Thakur Scheduled Tribe", the petitioner has approached this Court by invoking writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.

3. The factual matrix is as under:

The petitioner while prosecuting studies in Junior College, his tribe claim was referred for its verification to the committee. The petitioner submitted all the necessary documents right from the pre-independence era in support of his tribe claim. The committee has conducted the vigilance enquiry. The petitioner has submitted his reply to the show cause notice issued by the committee. The committee has invalidated the tribe claim of the petitioner as being "Thakur" Scheduled Tribe without considering the old record. In this background, the petitioner is before us.

4. Heard Mr. M.S