SC directed NCST to verify authenticity of ST status of Meghalaya CM

Supreme Court (SC) of India on 20 January 2014 directed the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to verify the authenticity of ST status of Mukul Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya. The direction of the Apex Court came following a challenge by political rivals.

The bench of the Court headed by Chief Justice of India, P Sathasivam while hearing a PIL filed by the All North East Indigenous Garo Law Promoter Association that has challenged the ST status of Sangma refused to go into and said that the matter. He said that it should be decided by the Commission and asked the commission to look into the complaint and take a decision within eight weeks.

The association has demanded the cancellation of the ST certificate of Sangma that has been issued to him. Sangma had won the 2013 Assembly election from the Ampati Constituency in South Garo Hills.

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established by amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the Constitutions (89th Amendment) Act, 2003. By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate Commissions with effect from 19 February 2004 namely
• The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)
• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)

The term of office of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and each member is three years from the date of assumption of charge. The Chairperson has been given the rank of Union Cabinet Minister and the Vice-Chairperson that of a Minister of State and other Members have the ranks of a Secretary to the Government of India.

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes functions from its Headquarters at New Delhi and from the State Offices of the Commission located in six States.

There are four Wings at Headquarters
• Administration & Coordination Wing
• Service Safeguards Wing
• Atrocities Wing
• Economic & Social Development Wing

There are 6 State Offices of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which work as ‘eyes and ears’ of the Commission. They keep a watch on the formulation of policy and issue of guidelines relating to the welfare of Scheduled Tribes in the States/UTs and keep the Commission’s Headquarters informed about the development periodically.

Location and Jurisdiction of the State Offices of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes