SC upholds validity of SC/ST Amendment Act, says law to be followed in letter and spirit

The Supreme Court Monday upheld the amendments made to SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act restoring certain provisions including that anticipatory bail cannot be granted to the accused under this law.

Unless provisions of the Act are enforced in their true letter and spirit, "the dream and ideal of a casteless society will remain only a dream, a mirage", the top court said.

It said that last year while dealing with the review petition of the Centre on the 2018 verdict, the court had recalled most of its directions which had diluted the provisions of arrest under the Act.

The top court's verdict on Monday came on a batch of PILs challenging the validity of the SC/ST Amendment Act of 2018, which was brought to nullify the effect of the apex court's 2018 ruling that diluted the provisions of the stringent Act.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and S Ravindra Bhat said that most of the general directions like that of preliminary inquiry, grant of bail, prior approval ...