Constitutional provisions relating to the above said groups are as follows:
a. Article 15: The state shall hot discriminate against any citizen on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any such thing. The removal of any disability, restriction or condition with regard to access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and place of public entertainment or the use of wells, tanks, roads, and place of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of state funds or dedicated to the use of general public.
b. Article 16: There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matter relating to employment or appointment to any office under the state.
c. Article 17: Untouchability is abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden. The enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offense punishable in accordance with law.
d. Article 23: Ilegalizes traffic in human beings and forced labor.
e. Article 25 B: Hindu religious institutions of public characters are open to all classes and sections of Hindus.
f. Article 29: Any cultural and linguistic minority has the right to conserve its language or culture. The article provides protection to scheduled tribe communities to preserve their languages, dialects and cultures. The state would not by law enforce upon them any other culture or language.
g. Article 46: The state shall promote with special care the educational and economic interest of the weaker sections of the people and in particular of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
h. Article 164: This provides for a separate ministry in charge of Welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and backward classes.
i. Article 325 of part XV: It guarantees to all citizens of India the right to vote.
j. Article 330, 332 and 334: This provides that seats shall be reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the house of people and state legislatures.
k. Article 335: It mentions the claim of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to services and posts.
l. Article 338: This empowers the Central government to appoint a Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
m. Article 339: This empowers the President to appoint a Commission to report on the administration of the scheduled areas and the welfare of scheduled tribes in the states.
n. Article 341: This empowers the President to specify the castes, races or tribes deemed as Scheduled’ Castes in a particular state or Union territory.
o. Article 342: This empowers the President to specify the tribes deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in a particular state or Union territory.
