Bhopal (Madhya pradesh): The High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, on Friday referred the caste certificate of minister of state urban administration and development Pratima Bagri to a high-level caste scrutiny committee. The committee has been asked to take a decision in 60 days.
A division bench of Justice Vivek Agarwal and Justice Avanindra Kumar Singh passed the order.
Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (SC cell) president Pradeep Ahirwar who filed the petition in the High Court had accused Bagri of misusing caste-based reservation to become a minister.
According to Ahirwar, Bagri belongs to Rajput (Thakur) community and not the Scheduled Caste. Bagri won the Raigaon seat in Satna district by 36,060 votes, defeating Congress candidate Kalpana Verma.
Ahirwar pointed out that Raigaon Assembly seat is reserved for SC candidate. He insisted that Bagri community, originally from Bundelkhand, Mahakaushal and Vindhya regions, are Rajputs and not recognised as SC.
