In Brief
The Oriental Insurance Company appointed Pradip as an Assistant based on his claimed membership of the Dhangad Scheduled Tribe. A Scrutiny Committee later invalidated this claim, finding Pradip actually belonged to the Dhangar community, not the Dhangad Scheduled Tribe. The High Court granted service protection relying on an earlier Full Bench decision. The Supreme Court held that the High Court's approach was unsustainable: an appointment obtained by falsely claiming reserved category status is void ab initio. Administrative circulars cannot override this principle. The Court allowed the appeal and dismissed Pradip's writ petition, setting aside the High Court's protective order.
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