UNI
New Delhi, May 22: The Lok Sabha today passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2006 that seeks to provide for tribal ministers in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, while excluding Bihar from the mandatory provision.
The Bill was passed by 351-0 votes with no abstension.
Giving the objects and reasons of the Bill, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said it would now be mandatory to have tribal ministers in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where the tribal population was 36.8 per cent and 26.3 per cent, respectively.
Madhya Pradesh, with 20.3 per cent tribals, would continue to have the provision, while Bihar, with 0.9 per cent tribal population, would now not be bound by it, Patil said.