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SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989
The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is a Indian law that criminalises acts of violence, discrimination and humiliation against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It empowers special courts to try offences swiftly and mandates stringent punishments, aiming to deter caste-based atrocities. In 2022, the Act led to over 30,000 convictions nationwide.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 — commonly called the SC/ST Act — is a special‑purpose criminal statute that criminalises a defined set of violent, discriminatory, and humiliating acts committed against members of India’s Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Enacted on 23 December 1989 and operative from 1 January 1990, the Act uniquely combines substantive offences, accelerated procedural safeguards, and dedicated special courts to address the historic pattern of caste‑based oppression.
Historical Background
The Constitution of India, adopted in 1950, earmarked Articles 15(4) and 16(4) for affirmative action, but the early decades saw persistent reports of “atrocities” such as untouchability, forced labour, and denial of access to public resources. The 1976 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was a parliamentary response, but its limited enforcement prompted a comprehensive overhaul. The 1989