Samata Judgement

In the unprecedented case of Samata vs. State of Andhra Pradesh Judgment,1997, popularly known as the Samata Judgment, the Supreme Court of India, delivered an authoritative decision in favour of the right to livelihood of the tribals inhabiting the scheduled areas of the country. In this case, the judiciary reached its pinnacle in upholding the rights of the tribal community. The Samata Judgment is an outcome of sustained people’s struggle to safeguard their land, resources and livelihood in tribal belts of Andhra Pradesh. The judgement had ramification across the country. The petitioning organisation, “Samata” had been working for the rights of the people for several years and had filed the case to overcome the hurdles created by the State to acknowledge and deliver on issues of fundamental human rights.