India was a pioneer in recognising special protections for her tribal or indigenous peoples in the Constitution, recognising their distinctive cultural, social, and economic identity from that of the mainstream Indian society and that they needed some protection from exploitation by the mainstream.

Through an investigation of the constitutional, legal and policy frameworks grounding the specialised protection of the STs, and the administrative and financial apparatuses that effectuate those protections, as well as compilations of data on the preponderance of dams and mines in the Scheduled Areas, the Report presents some insights on why th

This innovative and important study contributes to a deeper understanding of several important questions. It is a contribution to an understanding of how disputes over land are actually adjudicated in the Supreme Court. What issues are being litigated? What issues are at stake? Are there any discernible patterns in the nature of litigation?