As many as 11,700 government employees in Maharashtra face sacking for forging certificate to get employment under the Scheduled Tribes quota.
According to a report in the Times Of India, Davendra Fadnavis led NDA government may act on a Supreme Court order that had declared government jobs or admissions secured under reserved categories using forged certificates as invalid.
Around 63,600 employees were hired by the state govt under SC/ST quota in 40 years, out of whom only 51,000 submitted their SC/ST certificate, said the report. The other 11,700 now face sacking.
In a judgement in July last year, a bench of then Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud set aside a Bombay High Court judgement which had held that the public servants, whose caste certificate is found to be fake, can be granted protection and allowed to remain in service if he or she has spent sufficient time in the job.
Many of the 11,700 defaulters in the Maharashtra government have been working for over two decades, but are now illegible to continue with their respective jobs.
The govt is treading cautiously, fearing backlash by employees in what could be seen as largest sack of govt employees in one swoop, said the report.
The Maharashtra govt has also sought the advise of the Law department and Advocate general on the matter, which has "opined there is no way to protect the employees."
