Rajya Sabha recently passed The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to amend the constitutional list of Scheduled Tribes as recommended by Arunachal Pradesh.
The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. The Constitution empowers the President to specify the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in various states and union territories. Further, it permits Parliament to modify this list of notified STs. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that the Bill has been introduced to give effect to modifications proposed by the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
The bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda. At present, there are 18 communities with their synonyms appearing in the illustrative list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
On the basis of recommendations of the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the bill provides for modifying Part-XVIII of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, relating to state of Arunachal Pradesh. It provides for deletion of ‘Abor’ (tribe) in serial No.1, as it is the same as ‘Adi’ in serial No.16.
Secondly, it proposed to replace ‘Tai Khamti’ instead of ‘Khampti’ at serial No.6 of the list. It also provides for inclusion of ‘Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi)’, ‘Idu (Mishmi)’ and ‘Taraon (Digaru Mishmi)’ in serial No.8 in lieu of ‘Mishmi, Idu, Taroan’ in the list. It provides for inclusion of ‘Monpa’, ‘Memba’, ‘Sartang’, ‘Sajolang (Miji)’ in serial No.9 in lieu of ‘Momba’ in the list.
It also provides for inclusion of ‘Nocte’, ‘Tangsa’, ‘Tutsa’, ‘Wancho’ in lieu of ‘Any Naga Tribes’ in serial No.10 of the the list. The amendment in the list of Scheduled Tribes relating to the state of Arunachal Pradesh will entail no additional recurring expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India on account of benefits likely to be provided to persons belonging to the communities proposed in the Bill.
