The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a plea against alleged encroachments on tribal lands.
Advocate ML Sharma mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi his plea seeking a direction to not to allot or transfer possession of any forest land belonging to tribals to anyone other than tribals.
On February 13, the apex court had directed the eviction of tribals and forest dwellers, whose claims over forest land were rejected under the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
Later on February 28, the Supreme Court stayed the order.
The top court had then asked the states to submit details of the process adopted to assess the claims under the Act. The case is due for hearing on July 10.
Meanwhile, tribal and Dalit rights organisations have called for an all-India bandh on Tuesday to demand that the Centre promulgate two ordinances to secure their rights that have been affected by the Supreme Court decisions.
They are demanding securing of the forest rights of tribals and ensuring fair representation in UGC faculty posts.
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