Chhattisgarh HC Quashes District Panel’s Cancellation Of Teacher’s Caste Certificate, Finding It Lacked Power And Gave No Hearing

The petitioner, a Teacher (L.B.), challenged the District Level Certificate Verification Committee’s order/inquiry report dated 6 January 2026, which cancelled his caste certificate as forged and fabricated and recommended recovery of benefits and termination of his service.

He contended that the Committee lacked authority to cancel the certificate and that the prescribed procedure had not been followed.

The State submitted that the authorities would act in accordance with law.

The petitioner relied on the Chhattisgarh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Regulation of Social Status Certification) Act, 2013, contending that the District Level Committee’s role was limited to referring the matter to the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee and that it lacked power to cancel the certificate.

The Court held that an authority cannot assume powers not conferred on it by statute, and that action carrying civil consequences must comply with the procedure prescribed by law and the principles of natural justice, including an adequate opportunity of hearing.

The Committee cancelled the certificate and recommended recovery and termination without issuing notice or hearing the petitioner, despite the serious civil consequences of those actions.

The Court also found that the Committee could not exercise the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee’s powers where the statute did not confer them.

The impugned action therefore could not stand.

It reserved liberty for the respondents to refer the matter to the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee, if warranted; any further proceedings must comply with the applicable statutory provisions and afford the petitioner an adequate hearing.

The petition was allowed, with no order as to costs.