Supreme Court has directed the Centre and state governments to strictly enforce provisions of the law while asking other competent authorities to discharge their duties to protect the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to attain the constitutional goal of equality for all citizens.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur delivered the judgment after holding that there has been a failure on the part of authorities concerned in complying with the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Rules due to which the laudable object of it is defeated by their indifferent attitude.
The bench also directed the concerned national commissions to discharge their duties to protect the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
It requested the National Legal Services Authority to formulate appropriate schemes to spread awareness and provide free legal aid to members of SCs and STs.
It passed the verdict on a petition filed by National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, which was aggrieved by the “non-implementation” of the provisions of the Act and had sought directions for forthwith setting up special officers, nodal officers and protection cell as required under the Act.
