JUDGMENT :

S.G. CHAPALGAONKAR, J.

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith. With the consent of the parties, matter is taken up for final hearing at the stage of admission.

2. The petitioners have approached this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, thereby assailing the order dated 23.07.2015 passed by respondent no. 3-Sub Divisional Officer, Shirpur rejecting the applications of the petitioners for issuance of caste certificates, so also the order dated 21.06.2018 passed by Scheduled Tribe Certificate Scrutiny Committee confirming the order of Sub Divisional Officer.

3. Mr. Paithane, learned Advocate appearing for the petitioners submits that the petitioners had submitted the proposal for issuance of caste certificates with respondent no. 3-Sub Divisional Officer, Shirpur, who is the competent authority. The petitioners had submitted supporting documents like school leaving certificates, wherein caste is recorded as ‘Tokre Koli’ Scheduled Tribe, the caste certificate issued in favour of petitioner no. 1 as belonging to the ‘Tokre Koli’ Scheduled Tribe dated 04.09.1980, the caste certificate issued by Tahsildar, Sindkheda in favour of Shivram Nimba Nikumbh i.e. father