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Supreme Court of India· 03 September 2026

Does protection of pensionary benefits amount to validation of the invalidated tribe claim?

SHIRISH PANDHARINATH PATIL v. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS
2026 INSC 949 · SLP (C) NO. 12938 OF 2020
Coram: Justice Aravind Kumar · Justice Vipul M. Pancholi
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Answer

No. It was expressly clarified that the protection granted does not amount to validation or recognition of the claim of belonging to the ‘Tokre Koli’ Scheduled Tribe, and that neither the appellant nor any member of his family shall be entitled to claim any future benefit on the basis of the invalidated caste certificate. The protection operates only for the limited purpose of computation and release of retiral and pensionary benefits in accordance with the applicable service rules.

Headnote

Constitution of India — Art.142 — Scheduled Tribe certificate — Caste Scrutiny Committee — Invalidation of tribe claim — Protection of retiral and pensionary benefits — Constitution of India — Art.142 — Invalidated tribe claim — Complete justice in exceptional circumstances — Held: Invalidation of a caste or tribe claim upon verification ordinarily has consequences in law, but in exceptional circumstances where the equities of the case so warrant the power under Article 142 may be exercised to do complete justice. (¶13) Constitution of India — Art.142 — Long service ending in superannuation — Retiral benefits protected — Held further: Where the individual concerned served for more than three decades and retired on superannuation during the pendency of the appeal, the service rendered is protected for the limited purpose of computation and release of retiral and pensionary benefits. (¶14) Constitution of India — Art.142 — Scope of the protection — No validation of the tribe claim — Held further: Such protection does not amount to validation or recognition of the tribe claim, and neither the individual nor any member of the family may claim any future benefit on the basis of the invalidated caste certificate. (¶15) Scheduled Tribe certificate — Pre-constitutional family records — High probative value — Disposal — On facts, held: Pre-constitutional records of the grandfather and father recording the caste as ‘Koli’ possess high probative value, and the claim to the ‘Tokre Koli’ Scheduled Tribe stands rejected. Appeal allowed only as to retiral benefits; the invalidation is not interfered with. (¶7, 16)

In the Court's own words
Paragraph 14In view of the facts and circumstances of the present case, we are inclined to exercise our power under Article 142 of the Constitution of India, and accordingly, the service rendered by the appellant with respondent No. 3 from 21.10.1994 until his date of retirement on 30.06.2025 shall be protected for the limited purpose of computation and release of his retiral and pensionary benefits, in accordance with the applicable service rules.
Paragraph 15It is clarified that the protection granted hereinabove shall not amount to validation or recognition of the claim of the appellant of belonging to the “Tokre Koli” Scheduled Tribe. Neither the appellant nor any member of his family shall be entitled to claim any future benefit on the basis of the invalidated caste certificate.
Acts & Sections
Art.142 Constitution of India

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Also decided in this judgment
Can the Court protect retiral benefits under Article 142 after a caste certificate is invalidated?What probative value do pre-constitutional family records carry in verifying a Scheduled Tribe claim?Is refusal of an adjournment by a Caste Scrutiny Committee a violation of natural justice where the proceedings were prolonged?
Plain-language answer prepared by the LexStreak Editorial Desk — verify against the judgment. Source: Supreme Court of India. Corrections