J. Chelameswar, C.J.

1. W.A.No.1405 of 2008 and W.P.(C) No.34618 of 2006 came to be placed before this Full Bench pursuant to an order of reference dated 28.01.2010.

2. Three communities, Mannan, Perumannan and Vannan, in the State of Kerala are recognised by an order of the President issued pursuant to the power entrusted to the President under Article 341 of the Constitution of India to be the 'Scheduled Caste' in relation to the State of Kerala. There is another community known as "Peruvannan" in the State of Kerala. The members of the said community claim that the name "Peruvannan" is a synonym of the name "Vannan", a community which is already recognised as Scheduled Caste.

3. The first appellant in W.A.No.1405 of 2008, one K.Padmanabhan, produced a certificate as Ext.P2 in the writ petition, issued by the Head Master of Government School, Mangada, Pallipuram, Malappuram District dated 14.02.2008 which purports to certify that the abovementioned Padmanabhan belongs to a caste known as "Vannan". However, another certificate dated 24.03.1962 issued by the head of the Higher Secondary School, Tirur showing the caste of the abovementioned Padmanabhan as "Peruvannan".

4.