SC Refuses PIL Challenging Constitutional Validity of SC/ST Atrocities Act

NewsBharati    22-Sep-2026 16:09:56 PM
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New Delhi, Sept 22: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, which were alleged to violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 21 and 22 of the Constitution.
 

SC Refuses
 
The petition sought judicial intervention to ensure protection of the life, dignity and personal liberty of citizens, while also seeking safeguards against the alleged misuse of provisions of the stringent anti-atrocities law.
The petitioner contended that certain provisions of the Act have serious implications for the fundamental rights of persons accused under the legislation. The plea questioned whether the statutory framework adequately balances the objective of protecting members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from caste-based atrocities with constitutional guarantees relating to equality, life and personal liberty, and safeguards against arbitrary arrest and detention.
 
 
The challenge comes against the backdrop of the 2018 amendment to the Act, particularly Section 18A, which removed the requirement of a preliminary inquiry before registration of an FIR and prior approval before arrest. The amendment also restored the statutory restrictions on anticipatory bail in cases attracting the Act.

The Supreme Court had earlier upheld the constitutional validity of the amended framework in Prathvi Raj Chauhan v. Union of India (2020). The Court has also repeatedly held that the Act constitutes a special statutory framework intended to protect SC/ST communities against caste-based atrocities.
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By refusing to entertain the fresh PIL, the Court has not struck down or diluted the existing provisions of the SC/ST Act. The statutory protections and restrictions therefore continue to operate.

The development is significant as the petition had sought to place the issue within the larger constitutional framework of equality, due process, dignity and personal liberty.
Supreme Court Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes PIL Union of India FIR Section 18A