Navneet Kaur Rana’s Caste Certificate Reinstated by Supreme Court

Navneet Kaur Rana’s MP Status Restored Ahead of Lok Sabha Elections

The Supreme Court overturned the Bombay High Court’s decision regarding Navneet Kaur Rana’s caste certificate, restoring her status as a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Amravati Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra. Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol’s bench reinstated Rana’s caste certificate, ruling that the Scrutiny Committee had properly considered the evidence and followed natural justice principles. This decision came as Rana, now a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, was preparing to file her nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the reserved Amravati constituency.

Previously elected as an independent MP in 2019 with support from the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party, Rana’s caste certificate validity was challenged by Shiv Sena leader Anandrao Vithoba Adsul. The High Court, in a ruling led by Justices RD Dhanuka and VG Bisht, annulled Rana’s certificate, asserting that she had obtained it through falsified records. The court criticized the Scrutiny Committee’s handling of the case and noted discrepancies in the documents provided by Rana.

Senior Advocate Dhruv Mehta represented Rana in the Supreme Court, while Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal and Advocate Shadan Farasat represented Adsul in the High Court. Advocates Siddharth Dharmadhikari and Aaditya Aniruddha Pande appeared for the State of Maharashtra, and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the Caste Scrutiny Committee.

In summary, the Supreme Court’s decision reinstated Navneet Kaur Rana’s caste certificate and affirmed her eligibility to contest elections from the Amravati Lok Sabha constituency.