Rathwa-Koli community not Scheduled Tribe: PIL

Gujarat High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the Union and state government after public interest litigation (PIL) seeking direction to the state government not to treat the Rathwa-Koli community as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) came up for hearing.

Acting on a petition filed by Narsinh Mahida and three others through their counsel Rahul Sharma, the division bench of Chief Justice Vikram Nath and Justice AJ Shashtri issued a notice to the Centre and state directing them to file a reply in the matter by October 15.

The petitioners have contended that the Rathwa-Koli community is being treated as ST by the state government despite the fact that there are no presidential orders in this regard. It has been also contended that the state government has given instructions to treat the Rathwa-Koli community as a Rathwa community after inquiry, which is not permissible under law laid down by the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court.