Under which Schedule of the Constitution of India can the transfer of tribal land to private parties for mining be declared null and void?

1. A

   Third Schedule

   (a) Third Schedule. This Schedule holds oaths and affirmations of office, not tribal-land transfer rules, so it is not the key.

2. B

   Fifth Schedule

   (b) Fifth Schedule. Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule empower the Governor to regulate (and prohibit) transfer of tribal land to non-tribals; mining leases that violate those regulations can be treated as void. That Schedule is the official key.

3. C

   Ninth Schedule

   (c) Ninth Schedule. This is the protected-laws list under Article 31B, not the tribal-area land code, so it is not the key.

4. D

   Twelfth Schedule

   (d) Twelfth Schedule. This lists municipal functions (Article 243W), not tribal land alienation, so it is not the key.

Summary. Official key is (b) Fifth Schedule. Paragraph 5 of the Fifth Schedule lets the Governor make regulations on land transfer and allotment in Scheduled Areas, which is the constitutional hook to void illegal tribal-land transfers including for mining. PESA, 1996, sits beside it in Fifth Schedule areas. Honour the stored letter (b).