JUDGMENT

Y.G.KHOBRAGADE, J. - Heard.

2. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith, heard finally at the stage of admission by consent of the parties.

3. According to the petitioner, she belongs to "Mahar" caste which is Scheduled Caste category at Sr. No. 37 in State of Maharashtra and she was admitted in Shri Gadge Maharaj Vidyalaya and Junior College, Murtizapur, Dist. Akola in 12th standard. Her Collage forwarded her caste claim for scrutiny to respondent 2- Scrutiny Committee. Accordingly, the petitioner submitted various documents alongwith her proposal. However on 13/4/2022, the respondent 2 invalidated her caste claim mainly on the ground that the petitioner failed to produce caste claim documents prior to 1950 so also during the affinity test, the photos of Lord Jesus Christ and portrait of Dr. Bababsaheb Ambedkar were found in the prayer-room of the house of the petitioner and the petitioner is a follower of the Christian religion.

4. The respondent 2- Scrutiny Committee filed reply and strongly resisted claim of the petitioner on the ground that after receipt of the proposal for caste verification of the petitioner, a showcause notice was issued to the petitioner alongwith Vigilan