About the Act

• The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 aims to eliminate atrocities that are occurring against members of the SCs and STs while at the same time providing protection, compensation and rehabilitation to victims.
• The Act and its 1995 Rules were specifically enacted to prevent and protect SC/STs from atrocities committed against them by non-SCs/STs, because existing laws were found inadequate to prevent and eliminate these offenses.
• The provisions of SC/ST PoA Act & Rules can be divided into three different categories. 
  • The first category establishes criminal liability for a number of specifically defined atrocities, and extends the scope of certain categories of penalizations given in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 
  • The second category contains provisions for relief and compensation for victims of atrocities. 
  • The third category contains provisions that establish special authorities for the implementation and monitoring of the Act.
• It comprehensively defines atrocities to include egregious acts such as physical assaults, sexual offenses, economic and social boycotts, and acts intended to humiliate or degrade individuals based on their caste or tribal identity. 
• Central to the Act’s implementation are the specialized courts established for expeditious trial of cases involving SC/ST atrocities, ensuring swift justice delivery. 
• Criminal liability can only be established if the offense is committed by a person other than a member of SC/ST against a person who belongs to the SC/ST group.