The Fifth Schedule was intended by the founding fathers of the Constitution as an innovative device for promoting the welfare and advancement of Scheduled Tribes and the administration of scheduled areas. It confers uncommon powers for governance in scheduled areas, on the governor of a state having scheduled areas. In practice, however, the extraordinary legislative and executive gubernatorial powers have hardly been deployed despite the recommendations of various panels. It is felt that with some key reforms, the Fifth Schedule can be transformed into a purposeful instrument for the upliftment of STs.
