Referring to reports of FIRs not being registered in some cases, Shivraj Patil pointed out that some states were lagging behind in the implementation of the existing laws like the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. He made a case for amending the law that would enable a copy of the FIR to be sent to magistrates for record, while saying that it has come to the notice of the ministry, that police, in some instances, have refused to take up cases under the Act and instead preferred investigation under the provisions of the penal code.

The chief ministers and lieutenant governors who attended the meeting agreed to the suggestion of having exclusive special courts and special prosecutors to ensure speedy investigation and disposal of cases in a time bound manner, even as they were urged by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to usher in effective measures to prevent harassment of the communities.