Darjeeling, Oct. 27 -- The demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for 11 Gorkha communities remains under examination, according to a reply from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs to an RTI application filed by advocate Birendra Rasaily.

The Ministry's reply, dated October 5, 2026, states: "However, the proposal is presently under examination and has been referred to the concerned state government for taking necessary action and providing information."

According to Rasaily, the Bengal government submitted a proposal on February 28, 2014, seeking the inclusion of 10 communities in the Scheduled Tribes list, while a proposal concerning the Dhimal community had been submitted earlier.

Reports published in 2019 and 2022 referred to objections raised by the Registrar General of India regarding the proposals and the need for additional information.

Clarifying the significance of the RTI reply, Rasaily said: "The fact that the proposal is under examination should not be construed as approval of ST status. The authorities must clearly state what requirements remain pending and what steps are necessary to move the process forward."

Under the prescribed procedure, proposals must be recommended and justified by the concerned state government or Union Territory administration before being examined by the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. The process must be completed before the relevant legislation can be amended, added the RTI reply.

Rasaily stated that his initiative was aimed at ensuring public accountability rather than targeting any political party or government. He called for transparency regarding pending documents, objections and procedural requirements, stating that the long-standing demand concerning the rights and aspirations of the 11 Gorkha communities "should be addressed through official documentation and concrete action rather than political assurances alone".

Incidentally, the inclusion of the 11 Gorkha sub-communities in the ST list has been a long standing demand. Many elections have been fought and won on the assurance of inclusion.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.