Pahari Ethnic Group In The Scheduled Tribes:
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has now cleared the way for the inclusion of the ‘Pahari ethnic group’ in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
- The commission also called for the inclusion of the “Paddari tribe”, “Koli” and “Gadda Brahman” communities to be included in the ST list of J&K.
- Currently, Jammu and Kashmir has 12 communities that have been notified as STs.
- The process to include tribes in the ST list begins with the recommendation from the respective State governments, which are then sent to the Tribal Affairs Ministry, which reviews and sends them to the Registrar General of India for approval.
- This is followed by the NCST approval before the list is sent to the Cabinet for a final decision.
- The final decision rests with the President’s office issuing a notification specifying the changes under powers vested in it from Articles 342.
- The inclusion of any community in the Scheduled Tribes come into effect only after the President assents to a Bill that amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as is appropriate, after it is passed by both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
