In a historic judgment on July 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of India ruled that denying tribal women inheritance rights violates their fundamental right to equality. The verdict in Ram Charan & Ors. vs Sukhram & Ors. marks a major step toward gender justice in tribal communities where customary laws have long excluded daughters from ancestral property.
The case arose in Chhattisgarh’s Sarguja district, where female heirs of a tribal woman were denied property under customary practices. While lower courts rejected their claim, the High Court and later the Supreme Court upheld their right to equal inheritance.
The ruling challenges patriarchal tribal customs, under which only 16.7% of Scheduled Tribe women own land, compared to 83.3% of men. It also reflects a shift from earlier judgments like Madhu Kishwar vs State of Bihar (1996), which upheld exclusionary customs, toward a more rights-based approach.
Experts stress the need for a Tribal Succession Act to codify laws and ensure gender equality without disrupting cultural traditions. The decision empowers tribal women economically and socially, paving the way for more inclusive development and justice in Scheduled Areas.
