The Hatti tribe is a close-knit community primarily residing in the Trans-Giri region of the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and the Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttarakhand. The community derives its name from its traditional occupation of selling homegrown produce, meat, and wool in small rural markets called 'haats'.
The most significant recent development is the grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hatti community in Himachal Pradesh. The community had been demanding this status for 56 years, since 1967, when the status was accorded to the neighboring Hatti clan in Jaunsar Bawar, Uttarakhand. The ST status was sought to address the community's socioeconomic and educational backwardness resulting from topographical isolation.
The status was formally granted in August 2023 when the President signed into law the bill, which was notified as the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Act, 2023. This classification makes the community eligible for constitutional benefits, including reservation in educational institutions under Article 15(4) and in government posts and services under Article 16(4), 16(4A), and 16(4B) of the Indian Constitution. The final decision for inclusion in the ST list is notified by the President under powers vested in Article 342.
The Hatti community is traditionally governed by a council called the Khumbli, which arbitrates disputes and enforces customs, maintaining its authority despite the Panchayati Raj system. The community is also known for the traditional practice of polyandry, locally called Jodidara or Jajda, where a woman marries multiple men, often brothers. This custom historically served to prevent the division of ancestral land. While polyandry is not recognized under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Himachal Pradesh revenue law has upheld the Hatti tradition under customary tribal law.