The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has reported alarming irregularities in the transfer of land belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities to non-SC/ST individuals in Odisha. Between 2018 and 2023, three sub-collectors in Sonepur, Birmaharajpur, and Kendrapara approved the transfer of 661.073 acres across 1,287 cases, despite evident violations of the Odisha Land Reforms (OLR) Act. The audit revealed that permissions were granted without adequate scrutiny, often based on insufficient documentation. For instance, 120.7 acres were sold under the pretext of medical treatment, with 86 cases lacking any supporting medical records. Additionally, 160.355 acres were approved for various personal needs, such as marriage and education, again without proper verification. The report highlighted that in 71 cases, SC/ST individuals might have been exploited as conduits for third-party transactions, raising serious concerns about the integrity of land transfer processes and the protection of vulnerable communities.