JUDGMENT :

S.G. Mehare, J.

1. Rule. Learned AGP waives service of notice for respondents.

2. Rule made returnable forthwith. By consent of the parties, heard finally.

3. The petitioners are cousins. They belong to ‘Tokre Koli’ Scheduled Tribe and have impugned the order of rejecting their caste validity by the scrutiny committee/respondent No. 1 by its common order dated 4-3-2022.

4. While pursuing studies in junior college, the Principal of the college referred their proposal for verification to respondent No. 1. The petitioners have relied on the school records of their cousin grandfathers, namely Ziparu Parshuram Sonawane and Dhondu Babhatu Sonawne, who were admitted to the school on 14-8-1915 and 3-8-1918, mentioning their caste as Tokre Koli. Another old entry of school records relied upon by the petitioners was of their real grandfather, namely Rama Parshuram Sonawane, who was also admitted to the school on 1-12-1919 with the caste entry of Tokre Koli. The petitioners also relied upon the entry in the death register of their cousin grandfather, namely Ziparu, who died on 30-10-1970, mentioning his caste as Tokre Koli.

5. The vigilance cell conducted the inquiry on 16-10-2020 and 11