Maharashtra government yet to verify EWS certificates of 6 candidates despite tribunal order

Mumbai: Four months after an order from the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), the state government is yet to verify the income certificates of six candidates appointed under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development in 2022

Mumbai: Four months after an order from the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT), the state government is yet to verify the income certificates of six candidates appointed under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development in 2022. The MAT adjudicates on matters related to state government employees.

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In 2022, the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) published an advertisement inviting applications for 38 assistant commissioner group A (gazetted officer) posts in the animal husbandry department. The results were declared in December 2023, and appointments were confirmed the following month.

Multiple unsuccessful candidates then filed applications with MAT challenging the appointments of six candidates under the EWS quota. The petitioners included Dhanashri Owhal, a 37-year-old resident of Karjat and Abhijeet Kulkarni, a 44-year-old resident of Kolhapur. Kulkarni alleged that they had suppressed information regarding the sources of their family income, which is mandatory for issuing EWS certificates.

Kulkarni’s petition said that one candidate, who was working as livestock development officer before applying for the post, claimed an annual family income of only ₹48,900. Kulkarni argued that this was implausible, as the government pay band for veterinary officers is ₹56,100– ₹1,77,550 per month. He questioned how such a candidate could qualify under the EWS category.

According to the petition, five other candidates allegedly reported their family income below ₹8 lakh per annum to qualify for the EWS quota despite being employed in government positions at the time of application.

Advocate Shrikant Patil, representing Kulkarni, stated, “We are requesting MAT and the government to verify these certificates from the issuing authority and confirm their validity.” He further noted that the government has not responded to MAT’s March order to verify the documents. The order was based on Owhal’s petition.

Patil highlighted that during the hearing, the opposing counsel argued that these candidates had not received their salaries for a year, which significantly lowered their reported annual incomes. This argument, according to Patil, suggests a new method for candidates to qualify as EWS. An official from the MPSC said, “We are not able to comment on this as it is sub judice, but we will act according to the court order.”

Meanwhile, after the Puja Khedkar case, various student bodies are writing to the MPSC demanding strong guidelines for candidates applying for various government posts. They are asking for measures to be implemented to prevent candidates with fake certificates from securing government jobs, alleging that many are engaging in fraudulent practices, causing injustice to genuine candidates.