Supreme Court on SC/ST Act: Can’t Arrest Over One-Sided Version
The Supreme Court said that it has the responsibility to ensure liberty and fair procedure to all persons in society
An individual cannot be arrested on a 'one-sided version,' the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday, 16 May, while hearing a review petition against the apex court's verdict on the SC/ST Atrocities Act, according to Firstpost.
The court also said that it has the responsibility to ensure liberty and fair procedure to all persons in society, and that Parliament cannot make a law that denies people the rights under Article 21 (protection of life and persona; liberty).
The bench adjourned the case till July, reported Firstpost.
On 3 May, the apex court had rejected the Centre's demand for a stay on its verdict on the SC/ST Act and said it favoured "100 percent" the protection of the rights of these communities and punishing those guilty of atrocities against them.
The top had court also strongly disagreed with the Centre's contention that its 20 March verdict had led to loss of lives in the violence that had broken out later in several states.
The Centre had told the top court that its 20 March verdict, laying guidelines putting certain safeguards on the immediate arrest of a person for offences, countermanded the law enacted by the legislature and should thus be stayed and the case referred to a larger bench.
(With inputs from Firstpost and PTI)
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