Those found using fake caste certificate for education or employment will lose degree, job: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday said anyone found guilty of using a forged caste certificate for college admission, a degree or a job will lose their degree and their job, and will also be punished.

In the case of employment, the top court said it doesn't matter how long a person has held their job.

"Even if a person has been in job for 20 years on the basis of a fake caste (document), he will lose the job and also get punished," the court said.

The apex court also said there can be no leniency or consideration of long years of service if anyone has used a fake caste certificate for getting admission or a job.

The apex court also said it disagrees with the Bombay High Court ruling that a person can be allowed to continue in job if caste certificate is found fake after a long period.

The apex court bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud did not concur with the findings of the Bombay High Court that if a person continues in service for a long period of time and the certificate is found to be fake at a later stage then, he or she may be allowed to continue in the service.

The Supreme Court’s verdict was delivered on a batch of petitions including the one filed by the Maharashtra government against the Bombay High Court judgment. However, the apex court said that the findings of its verdict would not be made applicable with retrospective effect and would be applied now onwards.

In June this year, the Centre had said that those employees who got jobs using fake backward caste certificates will be dismissed, as reported by PTI. The Centre also directed all central government departments to collect details about any such appointments from numerous organisations under them.