Ranchi, Oct. 25: The CPM has demanded that the Lok Sabha committee on petitions ask the Centre to enact laws outlining the powers of the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC).

CPM state secretary J.S. Majumdar told reporters today that the petition was submitted through the CPM leader in Parliament Basudev Acharya on October 21.

Majumdar rued that no regulation or Act has been made to empower the council even after more than 50 years. ?This is because of the Jharkhand government?s neglect,? he said.

In the absence of any Act, rules or regulations, the TAC remains ineffective, Majumdar said.

The council functions as a sub-committee of the state government, which is contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.

Majumdar criticised the government for trying to curb the TAC?s powers. While earlier any decision involving a transfer of land owned by Scheduled Tribes to non-adivasis had to be okayed by the council, the government is trying to bypass the council and give the panchayats a final say in the matter, he said.

The Babulal Marandi committee was constituted by then Jharkhand Assembly Speaker also to dilute the Chhotanagpur and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts, he added.

?The BJP?s state working committee recently adopted a resolution asking for more powers for the panchayats at the expense of the TAC. Chief minister Arjun Munda has also been advocating the same cause. This is a clear violation of constitutional provisions,? said Majumdar.

The TAC supervises the administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand and eight other states where the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution is in force.

Keeping the interests of the Adivasis in mind, the Constitution had suggested prohibition or curbs on the transfer of land belonging to Scheduled Tribes and regulation of the allotment of land to members of the Scheduled Tribe.

But all these have been neglected by the state government, said Majumdar.