As per the Maharashtra scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, VJNT (vimukta jaati and nomadic tribes), other backward classes and special backward classes (caste validity and scrutiny) Ordinance 2001, every government and semi-government employee belonging to the backward classes should submit their caste certificate for validation to the caste validation committee, according to officials.

"As per the legislation which came into force from 2004, if an employee has submitted false certificate to get a job in the backward class quota and is in service for many years, he/she is liable to be suspended from work immediately for violation of rules," an official said.