Parliament Passes Amendment To Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order To Add Certain Chhattisgarh Communities In ST List

On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 to amend the Constitution (Schedule Tribes) Order, 1950 for inclusion of certain communities in the list of Schedule Tribes of Chhattisgarh. It was passed in Lok Sabha in December 2022.

The castes namely Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saundra Saonra and Binjhia communities are added to the list. The three Devanagari versions of the Pando community are also included.

The Bill states that, “The State Government of Chhattisgarh has recommended to modify the list of the Scheduled Tribes to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.”

According to Article 342 (1), the President may, after consultation with the Governor of the State, by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall for the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State.

⁠The Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Tribes specified in a notification issued under clause (1) any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community.

According to the provisions of Article 342 of the Constitution, the first list of the Scheduled Tribes was notified on 6th September, 1950 in respect of various States and Union territories, vide the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. This list was modified from time to time.