New Delhi: In a major development, Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Saturday modified Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for speedy justice.
Notably, the amendments made stronger provisions for the protection of SC/ST from atrocities against them.
The new rules also provides for regular reviews of the scheme for the rights and entitlements of victims and witnesses in accessing justice at the state, District and Sub-Division Level Committees in their respective meetings.
Here are some of the important provisions:
1. Completion of investigation and filing of chargesheet within sixty days.
2. For the first time there is provision of relief for offences of rape and gang-rape.
3. No medical examination for getting relief amount for non-invasive kind of offences against women like sexual harassment, gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of women, assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe, voyeurism, stalking.
4. Provision of admissible relief amount to SC/ST women for offences of grievous nature, on conclusion of trial, even though not ending in conviction.
