Atrocities against Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes continue today: Supreme

The High Court had quashed the provision of the Act by not sending notice to the petitioner

The Rajasthan High Court's order granting bail to the accused in the murder case was quashed

New Delhi: The atrocities perpetrated on the people of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are not a thing of the past, they are still being perpetrated today. The law enacted by Parliament to protect the constitutional rights of the people should be strictly adhered to, the Supreme Court said on Friday.

Rejecting the order of the Rajasthan High Court, the apex court observed that the High Court had granted bail to the accused in the murder case, adding to the offense punishable under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagaratna noted that one of the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act was being violated in the case and the High Court had not sent any notice to the plaintiff under Section 15A of the Act while considering the bail application.

Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are not a thing of the past, they are still a bitter reality in the society today, so the laws enacted by Parliament to protect the constitutional rights of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes must be strictly adhered to. Said in his judgment.

The bench further clarified that the provision of receiving notice and allowing submission in this case has been violated. When the plaintiff applied to the High Court for revocation of bail, the single judge was of the view that adherence to the principle of natural justice at a certain stage would remove any defect, but it is a violation of provision 15 of the Act.