Summary
A claimant asserting Thakar Scheduled Tribe status relied on numerous documents, but the scrutiny committee considered only some and the High Court declined factual examination. The Supreme Court set aside both decisions and directed fresh consideration of the entire evidence, without deciding the claimant’s status.
Issues
- Whether the scrutiny committee could reject the tribe-status claim without considering all documentary evidence relied upon.
Held
- An adjudicating court, committee or authority, especially at the original stage, must apply its mind to the entire evidence relied upon and give reasoned findings accepting or rejecting it. The committee had not considered all the claimant’s documents. (¶¶ 10, 11, 12)
- The claim required fresh consideration by the committee after an opportunity to the claimant, without being influenced by Supreme Court observations on merits. The Court refrained from deciding whether the claimed status was established. (¶¶ 9, 12, 13, 14)
Result
Appeal allowed; the High Court and committee orders set aside. Tribe-status claim remanded to the committee for fresh disposal within six months.