Ministry bats for stronger SC/ST Act

Aggrieved over the acquittal of 8 accused in the 2006 Khairlanji massacre under the SC and ST Act, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar has proposed amendments to the existing Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act with a view to making it more stringent.

Sources in the Ministry said that the proposal for amendments to the 1989 Act had been forwarded to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for their views. The Ministry is trying to table a bill in this regard during the forthcoming session of Parliament, sources said. The Ministry has learnt to have proposed amendments in Sections 14 (1) and 21 of the Prevention of Atrocities Act by inclusion of one sub section in each. While Section 14 deals with Special Courts under the Act, Section 21 is regarding the duty of the Government to implement the provisions of the Act.

Taking strong note of the acquittal in the Khairlanji case, Kumar had written separate letters to Home Minister Shivraj Patil and MOS for Personnel, Prithviraj Chavan demanding a “review” of the case with a view to filing an appeal. Kumar had also shot off a letter to Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh urging action against police officers found guilty of dereliction of duty.