The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to the States and Union Territories, calling for identifying areas prone to atrocities against Dalits and deploying adequate manpower and infrastructure to protect the life and property of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Key highlights
- Where no progress was seen in the investigation of cases registered under the SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for more than 60 days, special officers in the rank of a Deputy Superintendent of Police should be appointed to expedite the probe. There should be no delay in registration of the FIR in such cases.
- The advisory goes on to highlight that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (POA Act) was amended in 2015 to make it more effective.
- New offences such as tonsuring of head, moustache, or similar acts, which are derogatory to the dignity of members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, had been added.
- The punishments have also been enhanced.
- Provisions of Special Courts and speedy trial have been added.
- The Act was further amended in 2018. Section 18A has been inserted whereby conduct of preliminary enquiry before registration of FIR, or to seek approval of any authority to arrest of an accused is no longer required.
- The provision of the PoA Act may be implemented in letter and spirit
- It added that there should be no delay in the registration of FIR in cases of crimes against SCs/STs. Besides, it asks states to ensure proper supervision at the appropriate level of cases of crimes against SCs/STs, from the recording of FIR to the disposal of the case by the competent court.
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