 bill no 39 of  2007 the constitution (scheduled castes) orders (amendment) bill, 2007 byshri l rajagopal, mp a billfurther to amend the constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950 and the constitution(scheduled castes) (union territories) order, 1951, and to amend the constitution(jammu and kashmir) scheduled castes order, 1956, the constitution(dadra and nagar haveli) scheduled castes order, 1962, the constitution(pondicherry) scheduled castes order, 1964, and the constitution(sikkim) scheduled castes order, 1978be it enacted by parliament in the fifty-eighth year of the republic of india as follows:—short title1  this act may be called the constitution (scheduled castes) orders (amendment)act, 2007co 1952 in paragraph 3 of the constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950, for the words"or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950co 323 in paragraph 3 of the constitution (scheduled castes) (union territories) order,1951, for the words "or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of constitution (scheduled castes) (union territories) order, 19515co 524 in the proviso to paragraph 2 of the constitution (jammu and kashmir)scheduled castes order, 1956, for the words "or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of the constitution (jammu and kashmir) scheduled castes order,1956co 645 in the proviso to paragraph 2 of the constitution (dadra and nagar haveli)scheduled castes order, 1962, for the words "or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of the constitution (dadra and nagar haveli) scheduled castes order, 196210co 686 in the proviso to paragraph 2 of the constitution (pondicherry) scheduled castesorder, 1964, for the words "or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of the constitution (pondicherry) scheduled castes order, 1964co 110157 in the proviso to paragraph 2 of the constitution (sikkim) scheduled castesorder, 1978, for the words "or the buddhist", the words, "the buddhist or the christian" shall be substitutedamendment of the constitution (sikkim) scheduled castes order, 1978 statement  of  objects  and  reasonsindia is a secular and democratic republic the constitution prohibits the discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, place of birth, etc of the citizens simultaneously, it provides that the state shall make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward citizens of the country inspite of so many enabling provisions in the constitution to support the weaker sections of the society, the successive governments have shown no interest to confer the status of scheduled castes and extend the benefits of reservations to the persons who originally belonged to the scheduled castes and have since converted to christianity these persons are also known as dalit christiansthe social status of dalit christians has not improved much after their conversion from hindu religion to a new faith they are still living in pathetic conditions after conversion to a new faith these people lost the status of scheduled castes in the eyes of the law and were deprived of the benefit of reservation provided in jobs, etc under the state moreover, the social and educational status of dalit christians is not different from that of persons belonging to the scheduled castes in other religions they have not been included in the list of scheduled castes for the reason that these persons profess a religion different from the hindu, the sikh or the buddhist religion it is, therefore, necessary to amend the various constitution (scheduled caste) orders in order to extend the benefits of reservation to the persons who originally belonged to the scheduled castes and profess christian religionthe bill seeks to achieve the above objectivesnew delhi;l rajagopalfebruary 23, 2007 financial memorandumclauses 2 to 7 of the bill seek to include persons professing christian religion into the list of scheduled castes based on their social, educational and economic backwardness the bill, therefore, if enacted, will involve expenditure from the consolidated fund of india on account of benefits to be provided to the persons belonging to the proposed new community under continuing schemes meant for development of scheduled castes it is estimated that an annual recurring expenditure of about rupees one hundred crore is likely to be incurred from the consolidated fund of indiaa non-recurring expenditure of about rupees five hundred crore is also likely to be incurred annexureextract from the constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950co 19      3 notwithstanding anything containing in paragraph 2, no person who professes a religion different from the hindu, [the sikh or the buddhist] religion shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled caste      the constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950extract from the constitution (scheduled castes) (union territories) order, 1951co 32      3 notwithstanding anything containing in paragraph 2, no person who professes a religion different from the hindu, [the sikh or the buddhist] religion shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled caste       the constitution (scheduled castes) (union territories) order, 1951extract from the constitution (jammu and kashmir) scheduled castes order, 1956co 52      2 the castes specified in the schedule to this order shall, for the purposes of the constitution, be deemed to be scheduled castes in relation to the state of jammu and kashmirprovided that no person who professes a religion different from the hindu [the sikh or the buddhist] religion, shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled castethe constitution (jammu and kashmir) scheduled castes order, 1956      extract from the constitution (dadra and nagar haveli) scheduled castes order,1962co 64      2 the castes, races or tribes, or parts of, or groups within, castes, races or tribes specified in the schedule to this order, shall for the purposes of the constitution, be deemed to be scheduled castes in relation to the union territory of dadra and nagar haveli so far as regards members thereof resident in that union territorythe constitution (dadra and nagar haveli) scheduled castes order, 1962provided that no person who professes a religion different from the hindu [,the sikh or the buddhist] religion, shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled caste        extract from the constitution (pondicherry) scheduled castes order, 1964co 68      2 the castes, races or tribes, or parts of, or groups within, castes, races or tribes specified in the schedule to this order, shall for the purposes of the constitution, be deemed to be scheduled castes in relation to the union territory of pondicherry so far as regards members thereof resident in that union territorythe constitution (pondicherry) scheduled castes order, 1964provided that no person who professes a religion different from the hindu [,the sikh  or the buddhist] religion, shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled caste       extract from the constitution (sikkim) scheduled castes order, 1978co 110      2 the castes, races or tribes, or parts of, or groups within, castes, races or tribes specified in the schedule to this order, shall for the purposes of the constitution, be deemed to be scheduled castes in relation to sikkim so far as regards members thereof resident in that union territorythe constitution (sikkim) scheduled castes order, 1978provided that no person who professes a religion different from the hindu [,the sikh  or the buddhist] religion, shall be deemed to be a member of a scheduled caste       ————— a billfurther to amend the constitution (scheduled castes) order, 1950, the constitution(scheduled castes) (union territories) order, 1951, and to amend the constitution(jammu and kashmir) scheduled castes order, 1956, the constitution(dadra and nagar haveli) scheduled castes order, 1962, the constitution(pondicherry) scheduled castes order, 1964, and the constitution(sikkim) scheduled castes order, 1978—————(shri l rajagopal, mp)mgipmrnd—953ls(s3)—14-03-2007