Rajya Sabha passes Bills to include more castes and subcastes in ST list

The Rajya Sabha has passed two bills to include more castes and subcastes from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in the ST list.

Union minister for tribal affairs Arjun Munda moved the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, for consideration and passing in the Rajya Sabha.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday took up the bills that seek to modify the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. One bill seeks to modify the list of STs for Andhra Pradesh and the other is for modifying the list of SCs and STs for Odisha by including more communities in the list.


Both the bills were passed by voice vote. Speaking on the bill, Congress MP L Hanumanthaiah sought to know why the government cannot look at the whole Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes list afresh and make it an inclusive list of SCs and STs across the country. He also raised the issue of the arrest of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan interfered in the discussion and said that this was a long pending demand and after the bills are passed, "communities will celebrate like the country celebrated Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya".