Read Time: 04 minutes

Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment in the plea by Navneet Kaur Rana, an Independent MP from Amravati challenging the Bombay High Court order canceling her caste certificate.

Notably, Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the complainant, 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.

Supreme Court has been further informed that Rana's mother's ration card was also found to be interpolated by the Bombay High Court. "High Court found that caste was added in 2014..ration card never has caste..", Farasat submitted.

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.

The 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. 

Case Title: Navneet Kaur Rava vs. State of Maharashtra