SC questions Assam’s move to give ST status to Sarania Kacharis

The Supreme Court has said it is prima facie of the view that the Assam government erred in law by issuing scheduled tribe certificates to members of the Sarania Kachari community, observing that such a move appeared contrary to settled legal principles.

- Utkarsh Anand

“Prima facie, we find that the State could not have directed to issuance of the certificate to the persons belonging to the ‘Sarania Kachari’ Tribe under the head of ‘Kachari Tribe’...” said a bench of Chief Justice of India Bhushan R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran, in an order last week.