The Calcutta High Court has issued directives to the Secretary of the Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal. The court instructed the Secretary to issue circulars to all district magistrates, urging them to verify the authenticity of caste certificates issued in the recent past. Additionally, the court called for the development of a standardized operating procedure (SOP) at the state level, which the district magistrates would convey to the relevant authorities.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, emphasized the gravity of the issue. The court sought a detailed report from the secretary, addressing concerns raised by the petitioner regarding the widespread issuance of fraudulent caste certificates by subdivisional officers (SDOs) across West Bengal.
The petitioner underscored a serious problem involving the issuance of fake caste certificates by SDOs to individuals from different communities, falsely claiming Scheduled Caste status. The National Commission of Scheduled Caste, Government of India, had already intervened and provided directives to state authorities. However, the petitioner argued that only one District Magistrate had taken substantial action in response.
Highlighting the significance of the matter, the court stated that when such issues are brought to light, the state cannot evade its responsibility. The petitioner alleged that numerous SDOs in various districts of West Bengal were involved in the malpractice of distributing fake scheduled caste certificates to individuals not belonging to the specified community. The National Commission had acknowledged several instances of this, with only the District Magistrate of Burdwan taking corrective measures.
Following the District Magistrate's actions, two applicants had their caste certificates canceled by the subdivisional officer. The state, however, contended that since the plea only implicated the DMs of two districts, the petitioners could not seek blanket directions from the court. The court rejected this argument, asserting that the state must take a proactive stance, considering the broader implications of fraudulent caste certificates and the benefits tied to them.
Consequently, the bench directed a comprehensive investigation into caste certificates issued in the recent past, supervised by all district magistrates. The Secretary of the Backward Classes Department was tasked with submitting a report to the court during the next hearing. Additionally, the secretary was instructed to issue a circular to all subdivisional officers, warning of disciplinary and criminal proceedings if it was determined that any officers had issued fake certificates.
The court's intervention reflects a commitment to upholding the integrity of caste certificates and ensuring that the benefits tied to them are rightfully distributed. By calling for a state-wide investigation and proactive measures, the court seeks to address the systemic issue of fraudulent certificates, emphasizing the responsibility of state authorities to maintain the authenticity of such important documents.
TAGS: Authenticity Disciplinary proceedings Criminal proceedingsm Report submission State responsibility.
