MP High Court Asks Scrutiny Committee To Decide Congress Leader's Plea Against Raigaon BJP MLA's Caste Certificate

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has granted the High Level Caste Scrutiny Committee time till June 30 to decide representation of Congress Leader Pradeep Ahirwar challenging the validity of the Schedule Caste Certificate issued to BJP MLA Pratima Bagri from Raigaon Constituency.For context, Raigaon assembly constituency is reserved for members of the Scheduled Caste community. During the hearing the petitioner's counsel said that the plea may be disposed of with a direction to the Committee to decide petitioner's March 31, 2025 complaint after affording an opportunity of hearing to respondent No. 3 (Bagri). The counsel for State submitted that he shall direct the Committee, to take a decision, if not already taken, and to communicate the same to the petitioner within sixty days from the date of this order. As the parties undertook to communicate the court's order to the Committee by April 30 a division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh observed;"It is however made clear that if the High Level Caste Scrutiny Committee fails to pass appropriate order within the prescribed time period i.e.30.6.2026, the petitioner will be at liberty to move an application for revival of this writ petition". The court was hearing Ahirwar's plea, a former member of Scheduled Caste Commission, who approached the High Court after his representation before High Level Committee, over validity of the caste certificate issued to Pratima Bagri remained undecided for over 10 months. The petitioner stated that the caste claimed by Bagri does not fall within the Scheduled Caste category as per the lists published by the Director of Census Operations up to 1971. The petition further relied on a 1997 report of the Tribal Research Institute, which observed that the Bagri Community, in several regions including Mahakoshal, Bundelkhand, and Baghelkhand, belongs to the Rajput Community and not to the Scheduled Caste Category, although Bagris in certain regions like Narmada and Malwa Regions may fall within the purview of the Scheduled Caste Community. The petition also referred to a State Government circular of July 14, 2003, which clarified that Bagri Communities residing in Mahakoshal, Bundelkhand and Vindhya Pradesh do not come within the purview of the Schedule Caste community.The petitioner has claimed that Bagri who comes within the Rajput community and using the title of Bagri does not come within the schedule case community, but allegedly due to political influence has obtained SC certificate from Satna district. However, the petitioner has claimed, Bagri of Satna district comes within Rajput community. Therefore the petitioner made a complaint with the committee. The petition further stated that despite a complaint filed with the Committee in April 2025, which was required to be decided in two months, no decision was taken for 10 months. The Government Advocate for the State argued that the Committee would examine the matter, if not already decided, and communicate its findings within 60 days after conducting due verification, including giving respondent no 3 an opportunity to be heard. Hearing the submissions, the court also made it clear that failure to comply with the timeline of 60 days would entitle the petitioner to revive the writ petition. The plea was disposed of. Case Title: Pradeep Ahirwar v State of Madhya Pradesh [WP-8658-2026]For Petitioner: Advocate Mukesh Kumar AgrawalFor State: Government Advocate Manas Mani VermaClick here to read/download the Order

MP High Court Asks Scrutiny Committee To Decide Congress Leader's Plea Against Raigaon BJP MLA's Caste Certificate

Jayanti Pahwa

Tags