Rajya Sabha Approves Bills Amending SC & ST List in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh

New Delhi: In a significant legislative move, the Rajya Sabha passed two bills on Tuesday aimed at modifying the roster of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Union Minister Arjun Munda presented the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2024, for approval. This bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, specifically focusing on the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Both bills received unanimous approval through a voice vote in the Upper House.

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, includes the addition of four Particularly Tribal Vulnerable Groups (PVTGs) to the Scheduled Tribe list of Odisha. These groups are recognized as synonyms or sub-tribes of communities already listed in the ST category. The bill also introduces new entries, namely Muka Dora and its synonyms, and Konda Reddy and its synonyms, to the ST list of the state.

Additionally, the bill transitions two communities, Tamadia and Tamudia, from Odisha, which have been on the SC list for an extended period, to the ST list. Furthermore, it incorporates over a dozen synonyms and phonetic variations of existing Scheduled Tribes into the state’s ST list.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, complements the first bill by including synonyms for two Scheduled Tribe communities in the Scheduled Tribe list of Andhra Pradesh. Bondo Porja and Khond Porja are added as synonyms for the Porja tribe, and Konda Savara is included as a synonym for the Savara community.