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Court has held that the Scrutiny Committee had duly considered the documents placed before it and no interference by the High Court was required
The Supreme Court of India today has upheld the scrutiny committee's order holding Navneet Kaur Rana's caste certificate to be valid.
"The appeal stands allowed. The High Court's order is set aside and the validating order of the scrutiny committee stands restored", a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol has held.
Top Court on February 29, 2024 had reserved its judgment in the plea by Navneet Kaur Rana, an MP from Amravati challenging the Bombay High Court order canceling her caste certificate.
Notably, Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the complainant, had submitted before the top court's division bench that a Mochi caste certificate by the Maharashtra authority could not be issued to Rana on the basis of a Sikh Chamar document as that would be contrary to the Constitution of India.
"Based on a Punjab document can a certificate in Maharashtra be issued..there is no way I can say that I am 'X' caste in Punjab so you give me a certificate under the Maharashtra Presidential order..a Mochi in Maharashtra is different than a Mochi in Punjab, they are different enquiries..", a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol was further told.
Bombay High Court had in June 2021 canceled Rana's caste certificate and held that all consequences in law, which may occur on cancellation and confiscation of the fraudulently obtained caste certificate would be taken against her. Court had further imposed a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs on Rana and had directed her to surrender the certificate.
The High Court had held that Rana had contested in a reserved category seat in the 2019 elections by obtaining a false certificate of her being a person belonging to Mochi (Schedule Caste). The plea before Bombay High Court was moved by former Shiv Sena MP Anandra Vithoba Adsul. Court had added that Caste Scrutiny Committee, which is expected to show high degree of circumspection, seemed to be swayed by extenuating circumstances, keeping aside the application of judicious mind.
Later Supreme Court had stayed High Court's judgment directing Rana to surrender caste certificate within 6 weeks.
Case Title: Navneet Kaur Rava vs. State of Maharashtra
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