SC/ST Act: Centre Files Review Petition in Supreme Court

Source – news18.com

New Delhi: In the face of stiff pressure from both within the NDA and opposition, Union Law Ministry filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on Monday on the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act verdict.

The decision comes after some ruling party MPs and senior ministers in the government met top BJP leadership seeking immediate intervention in the case.

The apex court last week barred immediate arrest on the registration of the FIR under the Act, preliminary enquiry within seven days and introduction of provisions of anticipatory bail.

Union Minister and NDA ally Ram Vilas Paswan had expressed apprehensions on the impact of the SC order. He told reporters last week that Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe communities in the country are angry and disappointed at Supreme Court’s verdict on SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act.

Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party has also filed a review petition before the apex court on the issue.

The SC/ST Atrocities Act was first passed in 1989 by the Janata Dal government led by VP Singh. Paswan as Social Justice Minister in the government piloted the original bill.

Another NDA ally and minister, Ramdas Athawale had also met Finance minister Arun Jaitely and BJP President Amit Shah to express his concerns on the SC order.

Opposition parties led by the Congress had staged a protest in Parliament this session against the verdict seeking immediate intervention from the government.