Meeting of Committee to Review Implementation of PCR Act, 1955 and SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 held

Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment has said that the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 has been amended by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act of, 2015 with an objective to deliver greater justice to member of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Charing the meeting of the Committee to review implementation of PCR Act, 1955 and the SC & ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989 here today, Shri Gehlot said that the amended Act includes several new offence besides rephrasing and expanding the earlier ones and establishment of exclusive special courts for speedy trial of cases.

Shri Gehlot said that this meeting has been convened to discuss the issue of effective control of atrocities against SCs and STs in all States and Union Territories. Its purpose is to bring social harmony in our country. He called upon all the State Governments to send a Report based on decisions taken in this meeting within one month to his Ministry. He emphasised on the setting up of more special and exclusive special courts in the States for the purpose of providing speedy trial to try the offences under the PoA Act. He also emphasised on setting up state level vigilance and monitoring committees in the States to review the implementation of the provisions of the Act.

Shri Ramdas Athawale, Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment, Smt. Latha Krishna Rao, Secretary, MoSJ&E and Ministers and Secretaries incharge of Social Justice Ministry in States and senior officers of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment took part in the meeting.

The Ministry of Social Justices and Empowerment has been addressing the State Government/Union Territory Administrations to implement the provision of the Protection of Civil Right Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 in letter and spirit, with specific emphasis on setting up of exclusive special courts for speedy trial of cases, training and sensitization of police officers and other concerned officers, awareness generation, identification of atrocity prone areas as an ongoing process and review of cases ending in acquittal.

Subsequent to amendments made in the PoA Act and the PoA Rules, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment addressed to Chief Ministers of States/ Union Territories has inter-alia, stated that amendments done in the PoA act and PoA rules have enjoined upon States Governments and Union Territory Administrations, an important responsibility to augment their infrastructure as well as human resources to effectively implement the amended provisions. They have also been requested to disseminate information about the amended provision and sensitize police and other concerned officers for effective implementation of PoA Act and PoA Rules as amended.