STATE OF MAHARASHTRA vs RAVIPRAKASH BABULALSING PARMAR

The Supreme Court addressed the jurisdiction of the Caste Scrutiny Committee in relation to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976. The Court held that the Committee lacks the competence to question the caste claimed by an individual based solely on an inquiry that resembles a civil trial, emphasizing that documentary evidence, such as caste certificates, should be given precedence over oral evidence. The Court upheld the Bombay High Court's decision that the Caste Scrutiny Committee's cancellation of the Scheduled Tribe certificate was unjustified, allowing the respondent to retain his position pending further inquiry.