Overview

• Shibu Soren, founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and three-time chief minister, died on August 4 at age 81, prompting three days of state mourning.
• A Jharkhand High Court division bench has ordered the Hemant Soren government to verify land records and domicile credentials before issuing Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards to identify illegal immigrants.
• An affidavit filed by the Centre shows the tribal population in Santhal Pargana declined from 44% in 1951 to 28% in 2011, while the Muslim population grew by an estimated 20–40% and the Christian population rose 6,000-fold across six districts.
• In September 2024 the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes warned of Bangladeshi infiltration reshaping tribal belts through “jamai tolas,” or settlement of immigrants via marriage into local communities.
• Despite mounting legal pressure, the Hemant Soren government has yet to announce policy changes to protect tribal land rights and identity.