JUDGMENT/ORDER

G.S.KULKARNI, J. - Rule, made returnable forthwith. Respondents waive service. By consent of the parties, heard finally.

2. These are ten petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. Each of these petitions assail orders passed by the Caste Scrutiny Committee constituted under the Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Denotified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000 (for short, "2000 Act"), whereby the Caste Scrutiny Committee by exercising a suo motu power of review has recalled the earlier orders granting validity to the tribe/caste certificates of the petitioners.

3. As these petitions involve common questions of law they are being decided by this common judgment.

4. The petitioners in these petitions belong to Scheduled Tribes- KoliMahadeo, Thakur and Thakar respectively. They were issued tribe/caste certificates by the concerned designated officers depicting that they belong to the said Scheduled Tribes. The tribe/caste certificates were validated by the Caste Scrutiny Committee many years back as may be disc