The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked the state governments not to use the word 'Dalit' in official documents, saying the term was "unconstitutional".

The commission has stated that sometimes the word 'Dalit' is used as a substitute for Scheduled Caste in official documents, sources in State Tribal Department said in Raipur.

After consultation with the legal department, the commission said the 'Dalit' word is neither constitutional nor the word has been mentioned in the current laws.

Rather 'Scheduled Caste' is the appropriate and notified word as per the Article 341 of the Constitution, it said in a letter sent to all states.

Acting upon the order, the Chhattisgarh government has directed district collectors and its departments not to use 'Dalit' word in their documents, they said.