Challenging Caste Claim Invalidations: Charlewar Associates Secures Interim Relief in Scheduled Tribe Dispute
Adv. Charlewar defends petitioner’s Binjhwar Scheduled Tribe status before the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court
At Charlewar Associates, our mission is to protect the rights of individuals against arbitrary administrative decisions. In a recent matter, Riteshkumar s/o Rupchand Malgham vs. State of Maharashtra & Others (WP No. 3061/2025), our founding counsel Adv. Ishwar Charlewar represented the petitioner before the Hon’ble High Court, Nagpur Bench, challenging the invalidation of his Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate. The Caste Scrutiny Committee had rejected the petitioner’s claim of belonging to the Binjhwar ST, primarily relying on a 1917-18 entry mentioning the caste of the petitioner’s grandfather. However, the Committee failed to verify whether the caste “Binjhwar” indeed appeared in the government-maintained records or to address the validity of that historical entry in today’s legal context. During arguments, the learned AGP representing the State admitted to the Court that he could not trace the caste “Binjhwar” in official records—a significant concession, especially since the Committee had not recorded any concrete finding on the non-existence of the said caste. The Hon’ble Bench of Justices Nitin W. Sambre and Sachin S. Deshmukh noted these gaps and issued notice for final disposal, returnable on 30th July 2025. Crucially, they directed that no coercive steps be taken against the petitioner, who currently occupies an elected post based on his ST certificate. This interim relief affirms a key constitutional value: a person’s identity and rights cannot be lightly invalidated without due diligence and clear reasoning by authorities. At Charlewar Associates, we remain committed to standing by individuals who face discrimination or administrative injustice. This case reflects our firm’s enduring dedication to constitutional advocacy and tribal rights.
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