Manipur Scheduled Tribes List: Article 342 Process and RTI Disclosure Refusal

The news

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has refused to disclose information about a claimed Manipur government proposal to delete the nomenclature 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the state's Scheduled Tribes list, citing apprehensions that disclosure could aggravate inter-community tensions in the ethnic violence-hit state. The Central Information Commission, with Information Commissioner Ashutosh Chaturvedi presiding, has upheld the Ministry's stand.

The RTI applicant, Michael Haokip, referred to a Manipur government letter dated July 25, 2024, which he claimed concerned the proposal to delete 'Any Kuki Tribes' from the ST list and correct 'Any Mizo (Lushai) Tribe' to 'Mizo'. He sought confirmation of whether the Ministry had received the proposal, its date of receipt, official file number, action taken, and whether it had been forwarded to the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes for concurrence. He also sought copies of communications and file notings, and the names and designations of officials handling the matter since July 2024.

In its reply dated June 24, 2025, the Ministry said it was the nodal ministry for deciding claims relating to inclusion, exclusion and other modifications in the Scheduled Tribes list under Article 342 of the Constitution. It said disclosure during the examination and consultation process could exert 'undue pressure and influence' on authorities and lead to interference by vested interests. The Ministry specifically submitted that the matter was sensitive 'in view of the ethnic violence and prevailing law-and-order concerns in Manipur following developments concerning the Scheduled Tribe status of communities in the State'. The CIC considered whether non-sensitive portions could be disclosed after redaction under Section 10 of the RTI Act but ruled out even the limited relief of providing redacted copies of the proposal and related action-taken notings.

What is the process for modifying the Scheduled Tribes list?

Under Article 342 of the Constitution, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal ministry for claims relating to inclusion, exclusion and other modifications in the Scheduled Tribes list. Proposals recommended and justified by the concerned state government or Union Territory administration can be processed further and require concurrence from the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes before consideration for legislative amendment.

What did the Ministry and the CIC decide on disclosure?

The Ministry argued that premature disclosure of internal proposals, communications and deliberative records could 'aggravate inter-community tensions', exert undue pressure on authorities and potentially lead to 'disturbance of public order and incitement of offences'. The applicant contended that the response was vague and that basic administrative particulars could not be treated as information held in a fiduciary capacity. The CIC was not persuaded that public interest in disclosure outweighed the potential harm identified by the Ministry, and declined even redacted copies of the proposal and action-taken notings under Section 10 of the RTI Act.