Lok Sabha Question No. 194 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Inclusion of Badaga Community in Scheduled Tribes List
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Thiru D M Kathir Anand

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. * 194

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026

## INCLUSION OF BADAGA COMMUNITY IN SCHEDULED TRIBES LIST

*194. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND:

Will the Minister of Tribal Affairs be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the continuous demand to include the Badaga community of Tamil Nadu, which was recognised as an important primitive tribe till the 1931 Census, in the Scheduled Tribes list and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposal  from  the  State Government  of  Tamil  Nadu  for  inclusion  of  the  Badaga  community  in  the Scheduled Tribes list and if so, the details and present status thereof; and
- (c) the timeline proposed for taking a final decision in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI JUAL ORAM)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the table of the House.

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (c)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred Question No. 194 for answer on 12.02.2026 raised by Thiru D M Kathir

Anand regarding 'Inclusion of Badaga Community in Scheduled Tribes List' (a) to (c): Government of India on 15.6.1999 (further amended on 25.6.2002 and 14.9.2022) has laid down the modalities for deciding the claims for inclusion in, exclusion from and other modifications in Orders specifying lists of Scheduled Tribes. As per these modalities, proposals are required to be recommended and duly  justified  along  with  an  ethnographic  report  by  the  concerned  State Government/UT Administration.  Thereafter,  the  proposals  are  required  to  be concurred  with  by  the  Registrar  General  of  India  (RGI)  and  the  National Commission  for  Scheduled  Tribes  (NCST)  to  be  considered  and  legislation amended. All action on the proposals is taken as per these approved modalities.

The State Government of Tamil Nadu vide its letter No. 20607/CV-1/201417 dated 28.01.2021 sent a proposal for inclusion of 'Badaga' community in the Scheduled  Tribes  list  of  the  State  along  with  an  ethnographic  report  of  the community.  The  said proposal was  forwarded to the ORGI  for further examination and furnishing comments of the matter. The ORGI vide its letter dated 08.06.2022 did not support the proposal of State Govt. of Tamil Nadu for inclusion of 'Badaga' community in ST list of the State. The comments of the ORGI were referred to State Government for furnishing justifications/additional information on the matter vide this Ministry's letter dated 13.06.2023.

A Writ Petition No.16450/2024 was filed in the High Court of Judicature at Madras seeking to issue direction to the State Government of Tamil Nadu to send  proposal/justification  to  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  for  inclusion  of "Badaga" community in ST list of  Tamil  Nadu.  The  Hon'ble  High  Court,  vide Order dated 11.03.2025 has observed that the State Government has accepted the decision of the RGI and cannot compel the State Government to submit a revised proposal or otherwise and has dismissed the Petition. Nothing is pending at the level of this Ministry in this regard.

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