Summary: A 19-year-old student, Bhumika Koli, successfully challenged the cancellation of her Scheduled Tribe certificate in the Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench. The court ruled in her favor, ordering the issuance of a valid certificate.
Bhumika Ravindra Koli, a student from Padalde, District Dhule, Maharashtra, faced a significant challenge when her Scheduled Tribe certificate was canceled by the Review Committee on November 29, 2020. The Committee claimed her certificate, identifying her as "Tokre Koli," was invalid due to alleged document tampering.
Bhumika's lawyer argued that historical documents, dating back to 1912, showed her ancestors as "Dhor Koli" and "Tokre Koli." Despite these entries, the Committee dismissed them, citing differences in handwriting and ink as evidence of tampering.
"Entries made before the constitution hold more value," argued Bhumika's lawyer, emphasizing the importance of historical records.
Judges Nitin B. Suryawanshi and Vaishali Patil-Jadhav examined the original documents. They found no credible evidence of tampering, noting that variations in handwriting and ink were common due to different officials recording entries over time.
The court highlighted that both "Dhor Koli" and "Tokre Koli" were listed under the same entry in the Presidential Order, supporting Bhumika's claim.
On December 4, 2025, the court ruled in favor of Bhumika, overturning the Committee's decision and ordering the issuance of her "Tokre Koli, Scheduled Tribe" certificate within four weeks.
"The petitioner has succeeded in proving her caste as ‘Tokre Koli’," stated the judgment, emphasizing the validity of her claim.
The court decided that the evidence presented by Bhumika was strong enough to prove her claim as a member of the Tokre Koli tribe. As a result, her Scheduled Tribe certificate will be issued, recognizing her rightful place in the tribe.
