more-inThe government is planning to bring an ordinance to overturn the Supreme Court verdict putting safeguards on arrests under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and subsequently introduce a bill to insulate it from further judicial scrutiny. Through the ordinance, the government will reintroduce provisions of the act which it feels were diluted by the Supreme Court verdict in March this year. The proposed ordinance would make it clear that notwithstanding any judgement or any other law in force, the provisions of the act shall remain valid. “Once promulgated, this would mean the ordinance would overturn the SC order,” a Law Ministry official said. Dalit groups had organised protests across the country on April 2 against the “dilution” of the act through the Supreme Court’s March 20 verdict.

Source: The Hindu May 13, 2018 12:03 UTC