| Article 341 The President, after consulting the Governor (in the case of a state), may specify by public notification the castes, races, or tribes that shall be deemed as Scheduled Castes for that state or union territory. Parliament can amend this list by law, but once notified, the list cannot be changed by any other notification. |
- The Commission of Inquiry, chaired by former Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan, was established to examine the possibility of granting Scheduled Caste (SC) status to Dalits who have converted to religions not covered by the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.
- The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 issued under clause (1) of Article 341 which currently includes only Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist Dalits into Scheduled Castes List.
- The commission is racing to complete its report as its two-year term is set to expire in October 2024.
- The National Council of Dalit Christians has presented its case in Gujarat and Kerala, while scepticism persists among groups like the All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, which has yet to engage with the commission.
- The commission is analysing socio-economic data on Dalit converts and has sought input from various States and Union Territories.
- The union government has defended its stance in the Supreme Court, arguing against the inclusion of Dalit Christians and Muslims in the SC list.
Dig Deeper: Read about the recent Supreme Court verdict on the subcategorisation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
