Rajya Sabha passed Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014

Rajya Sabha on 24 February 2015 unanimously passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders Amendment Bill, 2014 by a voice vote.

The bill seeks to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in three states- Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and one Union Territory- Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Provisions of the bill
• It amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and the Constitution (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) Scheduled Castes Order, 1962.
• It adds new communities to the list of Scheduled Castes in Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.  
• It updates the name Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand in this list.
• It adds the following communities to the list of Scheduled Castes:

• Haryana: Kabirpanthi Julaha
• Karnataka:  Od, Odde, Vaddar, Waddar, Voddar, Woddar, Bovi (Non Besta), Kalluvaddar, and Mannuvaddar
• Odisha: Rajak, Rajaka, Adhuria Dom, Adhuria Domb, Khatia, Sapua Kela, Nalua Kela, Sabakhia Kela, Matia Kela, Gaudia Kela, Khadal, Khodal and Betra
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli: Rohit

Background
The bill was first tabled on 11 February 2014 but lapsed after the 15th Lok Sabha was dissolved. It was again introduced by the NDA government to end all kinds of atrocities against the Scheduled Castes in these states.

The bill was again introduced in Parliament as per the provisions of Article 341 of the Indian Constitution which empowers the President to specify castes which will be deemed as Scheduled Castes through a notification.

Article 341 also empowers Parliament to include or exclude castes from the list of Scheduled Castes through the notification.