Cabinet approves Bill to restore original provisions of SC/ST Act

Dalits stage a protest during a countrywide strike against an SC order that diluted the SC/ST Act, in Allahabad on April 2. Pic/AFP

Ahead of a nationwide bandh called by the Dalit groups, the Union Cabinet agreed to table the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Bill during the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament to restore the original provisions of the Act, sources said.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid the deadline fixed by Dalit organisations and Lok Janshakti Party to overturn the ruling of the Supreme Court in the matter. The LJP, which is an ally of the BJP also threatened to join the 'Bharat Bandh' on August 9 called by the Dalit outfits against the ruling of the top court.

Objections were also raised on the appointment of former Supreme Court judge Justice A K Goel as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairman. Goel is one of the judges under which the judgment of diluting provisions of the SC/ST Act was passed. The Supreme Court in a March 20 ruling had barred immediate arrests in cases registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

9 Aug
Day a bharat bandh has been called by Dalit activists

2 Apr
Day Dalits staged a protest against the SC ruling

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