35 members of ST caste verification committee to pay 'Cost'

Delay in approval of the proposal

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A Bench comprising of Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh of the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court ordered the 35 members working on the Scheduled Tribe Caste Certificate Verification Committee in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar from 2017 to 2023 to deposit a fine. The committee had kept a proposal pending for five and a half years, despite a final order from the High Court to make a decision on the proposal of the petitioner 'Mannerwarlu' tribe.

The members who were members only once must pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each, while those who held office more than once must pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each. The petitioner, Lalita Birkle, who was also involved in the pending proposal, has been ordered to deposit Rs 5,000 as 'cost.'

The bench instructed the vigilance committee to submit its report by April 15 regarding Birkle's tribe's claim. Once received, the report should be sent to the petitioner's email within five days. Birkle is required to appear in the office of the committee on May 2 in the afternoon for the inquiry. The committee must announce its decision on the proposal by June 15, 2023. Until the committee announces its decision, Birkle's employment cannot be terminated. If the committee's decision goes against her, it should not be implemented for 15 days.

The bench also directed the recovery of a fine from the personal salary of the committee members. One-time members DP Jagtap, Girish Sarode, DJ Pavara, DN Chavan, DS Kulmethe, and PA Shelke will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 each. Sandeep Golait, Dinkar G Pawar, Vijayakumar M Katke, RS Bhadke, CD More, and Sachin Jadhav, who held office for five years and six months, will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each.