How Many Seats are Reserved for Scheduled Tribes in The Lok Sabha

Introduction

Members of the scheduled castes and tribes are allotted seats in the Lok Sabha. The 2008 decision of the Delimitation Commission states that 47 seats are set aside for scheduled tribes, 84 seats are allotted for scheduled castes, and 412 seats are general.

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha, also known as the Chamber of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament. The Rajya Sabha is the upper house. A first-past-the-post voting system and adult universal suffrage are used to elect Lok Sabha members to represent their respective constituencies. The Lok Sabha Chambers at the Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi are where the house meets.

Members of Parliament make up the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of Parliament (MPs). Each MP is elected to represent a specific geographic area. There are now 543 constituencies, with a maximum of 550 representatives available (after article 331- 2 seats were reserved for Anglo Indians, but by the 104th Constitution Amendment, article 331 was declared null and void by Sansad; before this amendment, the maximum number of seats was 552.)

According to the Indian Constitution, the Lok Sabha can have up to 552 members, with up to 524 members representing people from 28 states and 19 members representing people from 8 union territories based on population.

Lok Sabha Elections

Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected/appointed from states, union territories, or a particular field of competence. Under the cover of general elections, Lok Sabha elections are held every five years. The Indian Constitution laid the groundwork for elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies by establishing a universal adult franchise.

Reservation in the Indian Context

According to Indian law, reservation is a form of affirmative action in which a certain number of seats are set aside in the public sector, the union and state civil services, in state and union government departments, and in all public and private educational institutions, with the exception of institutions serving religious or linguistic minorities, for Scheduled Castes and Tribes and other underrepresented groups. For representation in the Indian Parliament, the reservation policy also applies to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

What is a Tribe?

A tribe is commonly defined as a collection of people who share a common lineage or a common ancestor, a common culture, and live in their walled society. A clan, which is used in several European countries, and family are other terms for a tribe. The concept of a tribe dates back to ancient times when Rome divided society based on class, family, and money. These divisions were known as tribes. This term has evolved, but the people it describes have not. Many tribes and tribal communities are located in areas devoid of industry. They live and build homes that do not embrace modern amenities and behaviours, such as the Australian Aborigines who live in the Outback desert. They choose to live close to the land, according to the norms and customs of their forefathers.

Other tribes, such as Native Americans in the United States, accept some contemporary amenities while still adhering to and carrying out traditional values. India is particularly well-known for its large population of tribal communities, which number about 84 million people. They are divided into only 50 tribes out of 84 million people.

Definition of Scheduled Tribe

The term "Scheduled Tribes" appeared for the first time in the Indian Constitution. Scheduled tribes were described in Article 366 (25) as "those tribes or tribal communities, or parts or groups within such tribes and tribal communities recognised as Scheduled Tribes for this constitution under Article 342." The mechanism for specifying scheduled tribes is outlined in Article 342, which is repeated below.

Article 342

After conferring with the Governor of any state or union territory, the President may designate the tribes or tribal communities, or portions of or groups within tribes or tribal communities, that, depending on the state or union territory, shall be considered scheduled tribes for the purposes of this constitution.

A notification issued under clause (1) may specify that any tribe or tribal community, or portion of or group within a tribe or tribal community, be added to or removed from the list of Scheduled tribes. However, besides what’s stated above, a notification issued under the clause as mentioned above may not be changed by any subsequent notification.

Thus, the first designation of Scheduled Tribes about a specific State/Union Territory is made by a notified order of the President, following consultation with the State governments concerned. Only an Act of Parliament can amend these orders in the future.

Why is the name “Scheduled Tribes”?

The Indian Constitution recognises tribal communities in 'Schedule 5' of the constitution. As a result, the tribes named in the Constitution are known as "Scheduled Tribes." Scheduled tribes are defined in Article 366 (25) of the Constitution as "those tribes or tribal communities, or portions of or groups within such tribes and tribal communities, that are recognised for this constitution as Scheduled Tribes under Article 342."

Article 330

Seats in the House of People are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.

• The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes outside of Assam's autonomous districts, and Scheduled Tribes in Assam's autonomous districts all have seats reserved in the House of People.

• The number of seats allocated to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in any State or Union territory pursuant to clause (1) shall bear, as closely as possible, the same proportion to the overall number of seats designated to that State or Union territory in the House of People as the population of the Scheduled Castes in the Union or State territory.

• Regardless of what clause (2) states, the number of seats in the House of People reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in Assam's autonomous districts shall bear a proportion of the total number of seats allotted to that State. It should not be less than the proportion that the Scheduled Tribes' population in the aforementioned autonomous districts bears to the total population of the State.

Conclusion

The subject of reservation has been a source of contention between society's reserved and non-reserved groups. While the unreserved groups oppose the provision, the neediest sections are unable to benefit from their reservations due to a lack of knowledge or the fact that such provisions exist.

On the contrary, the creamy layer within the same section enjoys special treatment under the guise of the reserve, and political sides assist them with vote banks. Reservation is unquestionably beneficial for the oppressed and economically disadvantaged segments of society when it is used as a proper form of positive discrimination. Still, when it tends to harm society and secures privileges for some at the expense of others for specific political goals, as it does in its current form, it needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible.