Nominate RDOs to issue community certificates, High Court tells State govt

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Friday suggested the State government should nominate officers of Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) cadre to issue community, income and nativity certificates to prevent the issuance of such certificates to “undeserving persons.”

“Many such cases are coming up before this court in which people belonging to other communities obtain false SC/ST community certificates from authorities, who also for various reasons, merrily issue such certificates, violating the constitutional rights of persons belonging to SC/ST communities,” the court said.

Justices N Kirubakaran and TV Thamilselvi made the observations on the plea moved by Nirguna, a resident of  Krishnagiri. In his plea, he alleged that the president of Ayyarnapalli village panchayat in Krishnagiri got elected to the post by falsely claiming to be a person belonging to ST community. The seat was reserved for candidates from ST communities.

“Nativity certificates play an important role in getting medical admissions under the State quota. There have been many allegations in the past that students selected for medical admissions obtained dual nativity certificates, not only from Tamil Nadu but also from other States depriving the students from the State, of seats,” the court said.

The court also warned that it would declare the election invalid if the allegation is found to be true. The bench in its interim orders observed that not only community certificates, but nativity certificates are also being misused widely. The bench then directed the panchayat president to file the documents to prove his community status by July 9.