Case Title: J. Chitra v. District Collector and Chairman State Level Vigilance Committee
The Supreme Court observed that repeated inquiries for verification of caste certificates would be detrimental to members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The purpose of caste certificate verification by scrutiny committees, according to the panel of judges led by Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose, is to prevent false and bogus claims. Reopening of the investigation is only permitted in instances where the caste certificates are tainted by fraud or when they were issued without conducting a proper investigation.
In this case, J. Chitra filed a Writ Petition in the High Court challenging the Chennai District Vigilance Committee's order cancelling the community certificate. The High Court declined to overturn the committee's decision.
The Supreme Court noted in its decision on appeal that an investigation was conducted by the District Level Vigilance Committee, which upheld the community certificate in her favour and was not challenged in any forum. The court stated that because the District Vigilance Committee's recognition of the Appellant's community certificate had become final, the State Level Scrutiny Committee lacked jurisdiction to reopen the case and remand it to the District Vigilance Committee for further consideration.
"The purpose of verification of caste certificates by Scrutiny Committees is to avoid false and bogus claims. Repeated inquiries for verification of caste certificates would be detrimental to the members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Reopening of inquiry into caste certificates can be only in case they are vitiated by fraud or when they were issued without proper inquiry", the bench observed.
Court Further added that,
"As soon as the finding is recorded by the Scrutiny Committee holding that the certificate obtained was false, on its cancellation and confiscation simultaneously, it should be communicated to the educational institution concerned or the appointing authority by registered post with acknowledgement due with a request to cancel the admission or the appointment. The Principal etc. of the educational institution responsible for making the admission or the appointing authority, should cancel the admission/appointment without any further notice to the candidate and debar the candidate from further study or continue in office in a post."
The court then quashed the Chennai District Vigilance Committee's cancellation order.