No ST status to offspring of tribal women married to non-tribal

By IANS

Ranchi : In a significant judgement, the Jharkhand High Court has ruled that the offspring of a non-tribal father and a tribal mother are not entitled to Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation benefits.


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A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.K. Vinayagam and Justice N.N. Tewary passed the judgment while hearing an admission case Thursday.

The Tribal Medical Association (TMA) had filed a case in the high court challenging the state government's move to give ST certificate to children whose fathers are non-tribal and mothers tribal.

The court clubbed the hearing of TMA with a writ petition of Savita Bala Tuti, a student. Tuti in her petition said that Salila, another student, was given admission in Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, because she produced a ST certificate despite her father being a non-tribal.

Tuti challenged the state government move to include Salila in ST category.

The court directed the government to admit Tuti in place of Salila.

In Jharkhand, tribals constitute 27 percent of the total 27 million population.

Tribal people have welcomed the high court order.

"There are scores of examples of tribal exploitation in Jharkhand. The facilities given by the government to tribal people are utilised by non-tribals by using legal leeways. Many non-tribals married to tribal girls get the ST benefits and land rights. The court judgement will prevent exploitation," said Ganesh Hembrom, a tribal teacher.

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