In Brief
Bharati Reddy was elected as Adhyaksha of a Zilla Panchayat using a caste and income certificate issued within five days of her application. Unsuccessful candidates challenged her election, alleging the certificate was fraudulently obtained through false income disclosures. The High Court issued a writ of quo warranto directing her removal, finding procedural irregularities in the certificate's issuance. The Supreme Court allowed her appeal, holding that a writ of quo warranto cannot be issued merely on suspicions when the certificate remains valid under statutory presumption. The Court directed the Caste Verification Committee to expedite its own enquiry into the certificate's validity within two months, rather than the High Court adjudicating disputed factual questions.
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