New Delhi, Aug 1: The Bill to reverse changes made in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The amendment legislation will be tabled in the ongoing session of the Parliament, said Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), said he expects the Bill to be passed with full majority in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. "Those parties who oppose the law will be vanquished," he said.

Addressing the press after the Cabinet meet, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad refused to share the details of the legislation draft, citing a parliamentary rule which bars the Ministers to make the Bill public while the House is in session.

Paswan, however, told reporters that the legislation will restore the SC/ST Act, 1989 into to its original form. Three main points of the Bill, Paswan said, are: registration of FIR without a preliminary inquiry, no permission before arrests and denial of anticipatory bail for the accused.

The Supreme Court, in its order on March 20, 2018, ruled that before registering FIR under SC/ST Act, preliminary inquiry will be held by Dy. SP level officer and prior permission of an officer at the level of SP will be required before arresting the accused.

The changes, Dalit groups alleged, will dilute the law which was passed with the intention to end atrocities against the community.

More than a dozen Dalit outfits had called a bandh on August 9 to protest against the rising atrocities against them. The groups had also marked their dissent against the Centre for failing to issue an ordinance to reverse the judicial amendments to the SC/ST Act.

BJP allies, including the LJP, RLSP and RPI(A), had threatened to support the bandh if the government does not take immediate measures to restore the SC/ST Act in its original form.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 02, 2018 12:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).