RANCHI: Under continued pressure from the Jharkhand High Court over delay in Implementation of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), the state Cabinet on Tuesday cleared the Panchayat Provisions (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Jharkhand Rules, 2025—finally putting in place a long-awaited legal framework vital for grassroots governance in tribal areas.In all, the cabinet okayed a total of 39 proposals. The approval of the Jharkhand PESA rules comes amid ongoing proceedings before the High Court, where the state’s failure to notify rules under PESA has been described as a systemic violation of tribal rights. Hemant Soren government had repeatedly been informing the court that PESA rules were under finalisation. The decision assumes significance as the HC has stalled the auction of sand ghats in Scheduled Areas and warned the state government of contempt proceedings for continuing mineral-related decisions without operationalising PESA, a constitutional mandate for tribal self-governance.Earlier during the hearings, the HC held that Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas cannot be bypassed in matters relating to natural resources, including sand mining. Acting on this principle, the court stayed the auction of sand ghats in SC Areas, holding that without enforceable PESA rules, such auctions lack legal foundation.While sand mining triggered immediate judicial intervention, Cabinet’s approval of PESA Rules has broader implications for governance in tribal regions. This will benefit tribal communities by allowing them to govern their villages according to their traditions without any external interference.
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