Mom seeks caste cert for adopted son

2

3

Representative Image

Representative Image

MUMBAI: A single mother has moved the Bombay high court to challenge denial of a caste certificate to her adopted son by the collector's office.

In a plea filed through advocate Pradeep Havnur, the woman, a doctor and professor said the rejection of her application for a reserved category caste certificate was "illegal."

In its reply before the HC, a deputy collector said, "caste is carried from father to son'' and to issue such certificate paternal family documents are required. The woman, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, had adopted a boy in 2009, but in 2016 when she applied for a caste certificate, it was refused. The officer reasoned that the "law for adopted children is not regulated or mentioned" when it comes to certifying their caste. Her appeal to the district caste scrutiny panel also failed last November. An affidavit filed by Anjali Bhosale, deputy district collector maintained that based on documents "there is no provision to issue a caste certificate to an adopted son.''