SC order banning automatic arrest will dilute SC-ST Act, Govt to tell court

The Supreme Court order banning automatic arrest and registration of cases for alleged harassment of SCs and STs will dilute the law which aims to protect the marginalised, the government is likely to tell the top court.

In its review petition to be filed in the apex court this week, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is likely to say that the SC order will weaken the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, sources in the government said.

The ministry could also plead that the latest order would reduce the fear of law and may result in more violations, the sources said.

The top court had recently banned automatic arrests and registration of criminal cases under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The law protects the marginalised communities against discrimination and atrocities.

A delegation of NDA's SC and ST MPs, led by LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Union Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, had last week met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the apex court's judgement diluting provisions of the SC-ST atrocities act.

Gehlot recently wrote to Prasad about a review plea against the Supreme Court verdict.

He noted that there were concerns that the order would make the law "ineffective" and adversely impact dispensation of justice to Dalits and tribals.