JUDGMENT :

1. The petitioner's grievance is about Exts.P13 & P14 proceedings, by which his request for issuance of community certificate as Hindu – Pallan was rejected by the third respondent and confirmed in appeal by the second respondent. The essential facts are as under;

The petitioner's father belongs to Hindu -Pallan community. His mother is a Hindu-Ezhava. In the petitioner's school records, his caste status is recorded as Hindu-Pallan. From childhood onwards, the petitioner had been residing in Kanayannur Taluk in Ernakulam District. He was issued Exts.P3 to P11 community certificates by the Tahsildar, Kanayannur Taluk, certifying that he belongs to the Hindu-Pallan community, covered by the Kerala (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates) Act, 1996 ('the Act' for short). The petitioner's father was employed in the BSNL. He availed VRS in the year 31.01.2020. Prior to that, petitioner’s family shifted residence to his mother’s native place in Kollam. Thereafter, the application for issue of community certificate, on which Ext.P13 was passed, was filed before the Tahsildar, Kollam/third respondent. The application was rejected on t