Bombay High Court|Monday, 23 February 2026
Bombay HC Directs Issuance of Caste Certificate to Abhishek Najuk Bhopse
Bench
MS
Smt. M. S. JAWALKAR
M. S. Jawalkar
Bombay HC Directs Issuance of Caste Certificate to Abhishek Najuk Bhopse (2026) held that The Sub-Divisional Officer exceeded his jurisdiction by requiring pre-constitutional documents for issuing a caste certificate, which is not mandated by the Maharashtra Caste Certificate Act, 2000.
Abhishek Najuk Bhopse filed a writ petition challenging the rejection of his application for a caste certificate by the Sub-Divisional Officer, which was based on the alleged lack of pre-1950 documents. The court found that the insistence on such documents was illegal and contrary to the Maharashtra Caste Certificate Act, 2000. The court ruled that the petitioner was entitled to the caste certificate as his father already held a valid one, and directed the respondent to issue the certificate within three weeks. This decision reaffirmed the legal position that the authority could not question the validity of caste claims beyond the stipulated provisions of the law.
The Sub-Divisional Officer exceeded his jurisdiction by requiring pre-constitutional documents for issuing a caste certificate, which is not mandated by the Maharashtra Caste Certificate Act, 2000.
The court reaffirmed that the competent authority should not delve into the validity of caste claims, as this is the responsibility of a designated committee under the Act.
The ruling emphasized that the rejection of the petitioner's application was arbitrary and contrary to established legal precedents.
Final hearing conducted
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