The Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a PIL challenging the Uttar Pradesh Government order allowing for the issuance of caste certificate for the Dhangar caste in English.
The Division Bench of Acting Chief Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Piyush Agrawal passed this order while hearing a PIL filed by Jitendra Kumar and 4 Others.
In the PIL, a challenge is made to the orders dated May 10, 2019 and May 21, 2019 whereby a direction has been issued for issuance of caste certificate of the caste Dhangar in English as the caste now mainly reside in urban areas.
The counsel for the petitioner submitted that in pursuant to the orders aforesaid, the member of other castes would also apply and get the caste certificate despite an interim order by the Court dated April 19, 2019.
The counsel for the petitioner had prayed to quash the orders arguing that there exists a restriction for issuance of the caste certificate in English. A reference of the order dated May 21, 2019 has been given for the aforesaid.
“We have considered the submissions and find nothing objectionable in the impugned orders to issue directions for issuance of caste certificate in English on the format provided by the Government of India,” the court observed.
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The Court noted that it is more so when a Presidential Notification to provide a caste certificate in the category of Schedule Castes or Schedule Tribes in Hindi and English version has been issued simultaneously.
It is also that the Government of UP itself took a decision on May 21, 2019 to even issue caste certificates in English on the proforma provided by the Government of India and, thus, there is no bar to issue a caste certificate in English.
The counsel for the petitioner could not show a single document to indicate misuse of the orders impugned herein whereby the caste certificate has been given to a member of another caste. The court further observed that the petition seems to have been filed only to seek publicity than to espouse public cause.
“The writ petition is dismissed with a cost of Rs 3000 to be deposited with the High Court Legal Aid Committee, Allahabad within a period of one month,” the court ordered.