New Delhi
The Supreme Court provided a significant relief to Navneet Kaur Rana, Member of Parliament from Amravati, Maharashtra, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Court overturned a Bombay HC decision that had invalidated her Scheduled Caste certificate.
A bench led by Justice J.K. Maheshwari stated that the HC’s interference with the scrutiny committee’s decision was unwarranted under Article 226 of the Constitution. The bench, including Justice Sanjay Karol, emphasized that the scrutiny committee had conducted a thorough hearing, adhering to the principles of natural justice.
Previously, in June 2021, the SC had halted the Bombay HC’s action, which annulled Rana’s caste certificate over alleged use of forged documents. The SC had criticized the High Court for not referring the matter back to the committee for reconsideration.
Rana argued in her petition that the terms Mochi and Chamar are interchangeable, and her caste status was determined by the scrutiny committee based on authentic records. The HC’s decision was based on complaints alleging document fabrication, leading to the reversal of the scrutiny committee’s ruling. Moreover, the HC imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on Rana, which she was directed to deposit with the Maharashtra Legal Services Authority within two weeks.
