Supreme Court Declines to Stay Amended SC/ST Act, Agrees to Hear Petition After 6 Weeks
The petitions had sought an immediate stay on the law, alleging that the government has committed contempt of court by reversing the changes made to the SC/ST Act by the judiciary earlier this year.
New Delhi, Sept 7: Taking cognizance of the clutch of petitions challenging the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act passed by the government last month, the Supreme Court said it cannot stay the law without hearing the Centre.
The apex court has agreed to hear the matter again after six weeks, when the Attorney General would present the government's stand on the issue before the bench.
The petitions had sought an immediate stay on the law, alleging that the government has committed contempt of court by reversing the changes made to the SC/ST Act by the judiciary earlier this year.
A bench of Justice AK Goel, in April, had made preliminary inquiry mandatory before the registration of FIR. It also struck down the provision of immediate arrest, while allowing the accused to seek anticipatory bail.
Facing protests from Scheduled Caste groups across the nation, the government moved an Amendment Bill in the Parliament, which restored the atrocities law in its original form. The Bill was supported from members across all political parties.
On Thursday, anti-reservation groups led by SAPAK (Samanya Pichhda Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj) staged a Bharat Bandh to protest the reversal of the changes made by the Supreme Court. The protesters accused the Centre of "appeasing" the Scheduled Castes at the "cost of national interest".
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is part of the Opposition, said the protests against the restoration of SC/ST Act in its original form is based upon misconception and "propaganda against the lower castes".
"BSP wants to say to the people who are protesting against the SC/ST Act have formed a wrong idea in their head that the act will be misused and communities other than SC/ST will be oppressed," BSP chief Mayawati said.
Notably, the SC/ST Amendment Act was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 6 and the Rajya Sabha on August 9. The law immediately came into effect following the President's assent.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2018 12:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).