“LAND, LAW, AND INEQUALITY: A STUDY OF SAHERIYA ADIVASI ENCROACHMENT CASES”
AUTHOR – SHAILENDRA SINGH, A PRACTICING HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, ZENITH SOCIETY FOR SOCIO LEGAL EMPOWERMENT
BEST CITATION – SHAILENDRA SINGH, “LAND, LAW, AND INEQUALITY: A STUDY OF SAHERIYA ADIVASI ENCROACHMENT CASES”, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (14) OF 2025, PG. 1030-1038, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
This research paper delves into the socio-legal injustices faced by the “Sahariya Adivasi Community in Madhya Pradesh. It highlights the need for realization about their struggles and sufferings. This paper calls attention to the critical issues and aims to push authorities to take speedy and necessary actions to address the injustices outlined in this paper. It further draws attention to the pervasive inequalities that the sahariya adivasi community undergo, particularly related to land rights and legal protections like the encroachment of their lands by members of other communities, thereby, raises the urgent need for intervention and attention to propose reforms.
The primary objective of this paper is to influence policy-making and foster social change with an outcome of justice. By documenting the painful insights of the lives of sahariya adivasi, this research aims to vigilantly highlight the comprehensive understanding of their plight with the motive to encourage stakeholders, including governmental bodies and civil society organizations. This will help recognize and rectify the administrative issues
Ultimately, this study aims to empower the Sahariya Adivasi by championing their rights and ensuring their voices are heard in debates about land, law, and social justice. The research utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining secondary and primary studies. The secondary study involved analyzing existing research papers and materials, while the primary study drew upon personal case experiences acquired during my tenure as a Legal Consultant at the Zenith Society for Socio-Legal Empowerment, Gwalior-MP. These cases included both resolved and pending matters. The study uncovered legal loopholes and systemic challenges faced by the Sahariya Adivasi community in reclaiming their rightful lands. It offered a comprehensive analysis of the community’s struggles and exposed the systemic failures of lower revenue authorities, such as the Tehsildar and Sub-Divisional Officer.