NEW DELHI: ‘Valmiki’ was added to the list of Scheduled Castes in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 1956, and the Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up a bill to alter that order. A bill to add the communities of “Gadda Brahmin,” “Koli,” “Paddari Tribe,” and “Pahari Ethnic Group” to the list of Scheduled Tribes in relation to Jammu and Kashmir was also taken up by the Lok Sabha. The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order Bill 2023 was moved for discussion and passage in the House by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar. The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 2023 was introduced in the House by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda.According to officials, the Valmiki community—a synonym for Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, and Mehtar—has been suggested for inclusion at serial number 5 in the list of Scheduled Castes of Jammu and Kashmir’s Union territory. The “Valmiki” addition to the Schedule of the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956 is proposed by the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The officials stated that the “Pahari Ethnic Group,” “Koli,” “Paddari Tribe,” and “Gadda Brahmin” populations have all petitioned to be added to the list of Scheduled Tribes by the Jammu and Kashmir administration. The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 suggests making changes to the 1989 Scheduled Tribes Order in the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
