Caste scrutiny panel has no power to reopen its past decisions of granting caste certificates: HC

The Bombay High Court has held the state Caste Scrutiny Committee does not have any power to suo motu verify past records, reopen its own past decisions and invalidate the caste validity certificates already granted.

A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain in an order passed on November 1 and made available on Friday, said the Caste Scrutiny Committee is not conferred with any jurisdiction under the law to review its own decisions.

It added that such an inherent power would lead to a “monumental uncertainty and absurdity” in the functioning of the committee as it can be at the “ipse dixit of the Caste Scrutiny Committee” to reopen concluded cases.