The SC/ST (PREVENTION OF ATROCITIES) ACT 1989 was enacted to:
APREVENT atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; provide enhanced punishment for offences listed in Section 3; establish SPECIAL COURTS; provide rehabilitation and compensation
Bonly address economic offences (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989) (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989)
Cregulate trade (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989) (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989)
Dabolish reservations (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989) (cf. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989)
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. PREVENT atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; provide enhanced punishment for offences listed in Section 3; establish SPECIAL COURTS; provide rehabilitation and compensation
1. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 implements Article 17 (abolition of untouchability) and Article 15(2) (no discrimination on grounds of caste).
2. Section 3 enumerates OFFENCES OF ATROCITIES against SCs/STs.
3. Enhanced punishments compared to ordinary IPC offences.
4. Section 14 establishes SPECIAL COURTS for trial.
5. Section 15 specifies SPECIAL PUBLIC PROSECUTORS.
6. Rules of 1995 (and Rules of 2016 — Comprehensive Amendment) provide for COMPENSATION (varies by atrocity, Rs 85,000 to Rs 8,25,000), rehabilitation, witness protection.
7. The 2015 Amendment expanded the list of atrocities and procedural safeguards.
8. The Subhash Kashinath Mahajan v State of Maharashtra (2018) initially required preliminary inquiry — Parliament responded with 2018 Amendment restoring stricter framework.
9. Hence option B is correct.
_Source: International HR Treaties + Indian Constitutional Jurisprudence — Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989_
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