#Caste Certification

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that caste verification committees cannot issue or cancel caste certificates without formally considering the inspection report from the Civil Rights and Enforcement Cell, making it a non-discretionary procedural requirement. This binds district authorities to rely on verified ground-level evidence, safeguarding applicants from arbitrary decisions and reinforcing administrative accountability in reservation certification.

The Chhattisgarh High Court has ruled that claiming Scheduled Tribe status through a relative requires concrete documentary proof of blood lineage - mere acceptance of a relative’s tribal identity is insufficient. This sets a strict evidentiary standard for caste certification authorities, impacting thousands of applicants relying on familial claims without verifiable genealogical records.

Gujarat HC holds that demanding pre-1950 documents from applicants of another state for Scheduled Caste certification violates Article 14 when the caste is already recognized by state resolution. The ruling reinforces that administrative arbitrariness in caste verification undermines constitutional guarantees of social justice and sets a binding precedent for uniform certification standards.

Bombay High Court holds that when a close blood relative's Scheduled Tribe status is verified, the same claim by a family member must be accepted unless fraud is proven.