Teacher’s Caste Certificate Cancellation Quashed As Chhattisgarh HC Finds District Panel Lacked Authority And Gave No Hearing

The petitioner 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 services.

He contended that the Committee lacked authority to cancel the certificate and had not followed the procedure prescribed by law. The State submitted that the authorities would act in accordance with law

The Court referred to the Chhattisgarh Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Regulation of Social Status Certification) Act, 2013, and the Rules framed under it, observing that caste-certificate verification and cancellation must be undertaken by the authority competent under the applicable statutory provisions.

It also applied the principles of natural justice: action having civil consequences must not be taken without following the prescribed procedure and providing an adequate opportunity of hearing

The District Level Committee cancelled the petitioner’s certificate and recommended recovery of benefits and termination without issuing notice or affording him a hearing. The Court held that these actions had civil consequences and could not be taken without procedural fairness.

It further found that the Committee could not assume powers conferred on the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee where the statute did not grant it that authority

It left the respondent authorities at liberty to refer the matter to the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee, if warranted, subject to compliance with the applicable statutory provisions and affording the petitioner an adequate opportunity of hearing. The petition was allowed, with no order as to costs