Jharkhand CM winds up special courts, leaders question move

Cutting across party lines, tribal leaders of Jharkhand have questioned Chief Minister Raghubar Das’ announcement to do away with the Scheduled Area Regulation (SAR) courts set up to deal with land rights of the state’s tribals. The SAR courts were constituted under Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act in 1969. 

“The chief minister announced an end to the SAR courts without consulting legal experts and political leaders. It is a unilateral decision,” former CM and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik president Babulal Marandi said. He said SAR courts were meant to help tribals by stopping illegal transfer of their lands. “These courts were misused by the land mafias. But instead of the stopping their misuse, the state announced to put an end to the courts,” Marandi said.