The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, is an amendment to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Act received the assent of the President of India on December 31, 2015. In addition to introducing stricter punishments for certain offences specified under the 1989 Act, the Amendment also incorporates offences previously not mentioned. It expands various sections of the 1989 ‘principal Act’ including sections on ‘punishment for offences of atrocities’ and ‘punishment for the neglect of duties’. This 2015 Amendment includes provisions for ‘exclusive special courts’ to oversee cases registered under this Act and adds a chapter titled ‘Rights of Victims and Witnesses’ codifying the duties and responsibilities of government officials towards victims and witnesses. The Act was further amended in 2018.