Supreme Court stays Feb 13 order to evict nearly 1.89 million tribals

Top court gives states four months to file detailed affidavit, slams Centre for "being in slumber" over the years

In a relief to forest dwelling tribes and households, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed its February 13 order in which it had asked states to evict nearly 1.89 million forest-dwelling tribes and households. The top court had asked the states to evict these people, whose claim over the land they had been residing on, had been rejected by the authorities.

A three-judge bench, led by Justice Arun Mishra, gave the states four months to file affidavits detailing the process via which the claims on land of forest dwellers were rejected by the authorities. The court will next hear the matter