Executive Summary:
This document presents information in response to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). It includes statistical data on registered cases and conviction rates under the Prevention of Atrocities Act, details of government measures to strengthen enforcement, and advisory guidelines issued to States/UTs for timely investigation, prosecution, and victim support. Data is provided up to the year 2022, and the last meeting of the Central Level Committee to review implementation was held on May 23, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Data on Atrocities:**
* The National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes data on crimes, including those against SCs and STs, in its "Crime in India" publication.
* Statistical data on cases registered and conviction rates under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act from 2020 to 2022 is provided in Annexure 1 and Annexure 2.
* **Legislative and Support Measures:**
* The Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955, addresses disabilities arising from untouchability.
* The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, prevents atrocities against SCs and STs.
* **Centrally Sponsored Scheme:**
* The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment runs a scheme providing central assistance to States/UTs for:
* Protection Cells and Special Police Stations.
* Exclusive Special Courts.
* Relief and rehabilitation of atrocity victims.
* Incentives for Inter-Caste Marriages (where one spouse is an SC member).
* Awareness generation.
* **National Helpline and Training:**
* A National Helpline Against Atrocities (NHAA), toll-free number 14566, facilitates grievance redressal and awareness.
* The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) conducts training for police personnel.
* **Advisories and Monitoring:**
* The Government of India issues advisories for implementing the Prevention of Atrocities Act.
* The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) safeguard the interests of SCs and STs.
* 211 Exclusive Special Courts have been established for speedy trials.
* **Committees for Review:**
* A Central Level Committee, chaired by the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, reviews the implementation of the PCR and Prevention of Atrocities Act.
* State Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees, along with District and Sub-Division Level Committees, monitor implementation of the Act.
Impact Analysis:
* **State Governments and Union Territory Administrations:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing the PCR Act and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, utilizing central assistance for various initiatives, and ensuring timely investigation, prosecution, and victim support.
* Action Required: Strengthen Protection Cells, Special Police Stations, and Special Courts; provide relief and rehabilitation to victims; promote inter-caste marriages; generate awareness; and implement advisories.
* **Police Personnel:**
* Impact: Responsible for the effective enforcement of the Prevention of Atrocities Act.
* Action Required: Participate in training courses and webinars conducted by the BPRD to enhance sensitivity and understanding of the Act.
* **Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes:**
* Impact: Beneficiaries of the legislative protections, support schemes, and grievance redressal mechanisms aimed at preventing atrocities and promoting their social, educational, economic, and cultural interests.
* Action Required: Utilize the National Helpline (14566) for grievance redressal and awareness about legal provisions.
* **National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes:**
* Impact: Play a role in safeguarding against exploitation and promoting the interests of SCs and STs.
* Action Required: Continue to provide safeguards and promote/protect the social, educational, economic, and cultural interests of SCs and STs.
Key Entities Referenced
National Crimes Record Bureau: An Indian government agency responsible for collecting and analyzing crime data.
National Helpline against Atrocities: A toll-free helpline (number 14566) to facilitate members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes with grievance redressal and awareness about the law.
Bureau of Police Research Development: An organization that conducts training courses and webinars for police personnel on the effective implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes: An Indian constitutional body to safeguard the interests of Scheduled Castes.
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes: An Indian constitutional body to safeguard the interests of Scheduled Tribes.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India with high number of cases registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act: A law to prevent atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Protection of Civil Rights Act: A law prescribing punishment for enforcement of any disability arising from practice of 'untouchability'.
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GOYERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTTON NO.2662
TO BE AI\SWERED ON 05.08.2025
ATROCITIES AGAINST SCHEDULED CASTES AI\D SCHEDULED TRIBES
2662. SHRI SASIKAIITH SENTHIL:
Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken note of a rise in the number of cases registered under the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in recent years, if so, the
details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has reviewed the conviction,rates under the said Act and if so, the
details thereof, during the last three years, StateAJT-wise;
(c) whether any targeted measures have been undertaken to strengthen the enforcement of SC/ST
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, particularly in States with a
high incidence of such crimes;
(d) if so, the details thereof, including capacity building, special courts or monitoring
mechanisms introduced; and
(e) whether the Government has issued any directions or advisory guidelines to StatesAJTs to
ensure timely investigation, prosecution and victim support in such cases and if so, the details
thereof?
Ai\SWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE)
(a) & (b): National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes statistical data on
crimes in its publication 'Crime in India'. The published reports are available till the yeu 2022.
As per the NCRB data, the details of number of cases registered along with conviction rate
across the country under crime/atrocities against the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes
during the year 2020 to 2022 are at Annexure-l and Annexure-2.
(c) to (e): Two central Acts have been enacted namely, The Protection of Civil Rights {PCR}
Act, 1955, which prescribes punishment for enforcement of any disability arising from practice
of 'untouchability' and The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of
Atrocities) {PoA} Act, 1989 to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against
members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes(STs).For the effective implementation of these Acts, the Department of Social Justice &
Empowerment is running a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, under which Central Assistance is
provided to the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations mainly for the
followings:
i.
Functioning and strengthening of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Protection
Cell and Special Police Stations.
ii.
Setting up and functioning of Exclusive Special Courts.
aii.
Relief and Rehabilitation of atrocity victims.
iv.
Incentive for Inter-Caste Marriages, where one of the spouses is a member of a
Scheduled Castes.
v.
Awareness generation.
Further, a National Helpline against Atrocities (NHAA), having toll free number 14566,
to facilitate the members of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes with the objective of
their grievance redressal and to generate awareness about the provisions and processes under the
Law.
Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) conducts training, courses and
webinars from time to time for police personnel sensitizing them for effective implementation of
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (POA) Act, 1989. In addition,
Government of India has issued advisories from time to time to implement the provisions of the
PoA Act and Rules in letter and spirit.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and National Commission for
Scheduled Tribes (NCST) provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural
interests, respectively.
As per the information received from the StatesAJTs 2l I Exclusive special courts have
been established for the purpose of providing speedy trial.
At the Central Government level, a Committee under the Chairpersonship of the Union
Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, with the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs as Co-
chairperson, and comprising members from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and
Justice, Department of Justice, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National
Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and three non-offrcial members (two from among the SCs
and one from the STs), also reviews the implementation status of the PCR and PoA Act in States
and Union Territories. The Commiuee has so far held twenty-eight meetings, the last meeting
was held on23.05.2025.
In addition to above Central Level Committee, State Level Vigilance and Monitoring
Committee, District and Sub-Division Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees have also
been set up to monitor the implementation of the Act.
n[^Annexure-l
Statg/UT wise cases registered and Conviction Rate (CVR) under the SC/ST @revention of Atrocities) Act for Scheduled Castes from 2020 to2022
Year 2020 Year202l Year2022
SL State/UT
Cases resistered Conviction tateVo Cases reqistered Conviction rute o/o Cases reqistered Conviction rate o/o
I A,ndhra Pradesh r948 10.0 2010 5.3 2315 4.0
)
Arunachal Pradesh 0 0 0
3. A.ssam 28 0.0 l3 t4
4. Bihar 7368 21.8 5842 31.2 6509 43.1
5. lhhattisgarh 316 47.9 330 18.5 323 77.4
.
6. ioa ' 2 4 0.0 8 0.0
7. Sujarat 1326 4.4 l20l 5.8 1279 4.4
8. FIaryana tzt0 12.5 1628 25.1 1633 19.3
9. Flimachal Pradesh 24? 4.0 243 5.9 209 8.5
10. lharkhand 666 29.8 546 53.8 674 19.6
1l Karnataka 1394 4.7 1673 1.6 1972 1.4
t2. Kerala 846 4.4 948 9.7 1050 9.2
13. Madhya Pradesh 6899 40.1 7213 28.0 7733 22.9
T4, Maharashtra 2569 I 1.8 2503 10.7 2741 8.9
15. Maniour 0 0 0
16. Meghalaya 0 0 0
17. Mizoram 0 0 5
I
18. ){agaland 0 0 0
19. )disha 2046 3.7 232? 0.7 2902 l6.l
nt
20 Puniab 165 16.7 200 25.0 162 27.5
2t. Iaiasthan 70t7 48.7 7524 41.6 87s2 39.5
)') likkim 0 0.0 2 0.0 J 50.0 I
23. Iamil Nadu 1273 25.2 1376 18.4 t76t 2t.t
24. lelangana 1959 3.8 1770 8.2 1787 4.9
)
25. frioura 3 2
26. Jttar Pradesh 12714 70.7 13146 't6.3 15368 80.2
27. Jttarakhand 87 t23 0.0 n4 0.0
28. West Bengal 109 0.0 108 0.0 104 0.0
Iotal State(s) 50191 42.5 50733 36.0 57420 34.1
29. A&N Islands 0 0 0
30. 0handigarh 3 100.0 0 4 0.0
3l D&N Haveli and Daman & Diu I 0 0 0.0
32. Delhi 69 0.0 136 0.0 130 0.0
JJ. ammu & Kashmir 4 3 6
34. Ladaklt 0.0 0.0 0.0
35. Lakshadweep 0 0 0
36. Puducherry 0 7 9
TOTALUT(S) 77 25.0 146 0.0 149 0.0
TOTAL (ALL INDIA) s0268 42.5 50879 36.0 57569 34.1Annexure-2
State/UT wise Cases registered and Conviction Rate (CVR) under the SC/ST
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act (With & Without IPC)
for Scheduled Tribes from 2020 to2022
Year 2020 Year 2021 Year2022
sr State/UT Cases Conviction Cases Conviction Cases Conviction
reeistered rateYo resistered rateYo resistered rate%o
1 Andhra Pradesh 320 0.9 361 5.6 396 1.4
Arunachal'Pradesh 0 I 0
!. Assam 10 t6 9 100.0
Bihar 94 103 36.4 146 4.2
). Chhattissarh 502 48.0 s06 24.3 516 76.6
)
,. 3oa 5 0.0 I 100.0
3uiarat 291 14.3 34r 0.0 330 8.0
B. Flaryana 0 0 0
). Flimachal Pradesh J 7 4
10. Iharkhand 347 40.0 250 63.0 283 30.9
ll
Karnataka 291 1.3 358 0.0 438 0.8
12.Kerala 130 21.9 133 29.0 172 10.2
13. Madhya Pradesh 2401 3s.9 2627 34.3 2979 35.9
14. Maharashra 663 12.5 628 I1.8 742 t2.t
15. Manipur 2 0 I
16. Meghalaya 0 0 0
17.Mizoram 0 0 100.0 29 66.7
'
18. {aealand 0 0 0
19. Odisha 624 0.0 676 0.0 773 19.6
z0 Puniab 4 0 0.0 0 0.0
zt. laiasthan 1878 43.2 2t2t 4s.t 2521 46.0
z2 likkim 0 I 0.0 4 0.0
23. Iamil Nadu 23 39 67 0.0
t4. felangana 573 2.5 512 5.2 545 6.5
15. lripura 2 0 3
2,6. Uttar Pradesh 3 100.0 4 5
t7. Uttarakhand 13 100.0 6 I
28. West Bengal 90 0.0 92 0.0 90 2.9
total State(s) 8266 28.s 8787 28.2 10055 28.1
29. A&N Islands 2 3 0.0 3
10. Chandisarh 0 0 0
!l
D&N Haveli and
0 3 5 0.0
Daman & Diu
12.Delhi I 5 0
]3. Iammu & Kashmir 0 I I
14. Ladakh 0.0 0.0 0.0
]5. Lakshadweep I 0 0
]6. Puducherry 0 0 0
TOTAL UT(S) 4 t2 0.0 9 0.0
roTAL (ALL
8270 28.5 8799 28.1 10064 28.1
INDIA)
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