New Delhi, April 3 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to stay its ruling which activists say has diluted a law aimed at preventing atrocities on Dalits and tribes.
A bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, however, said compensation can be paid to victims under The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, even without a FIR being registered.
The bench said this on a plea by the Centre seeking recall of its March 20 order where the apex court had said that no arrest would be affected on a complaint under the Act without an inquiry.
‘No plan to change reservation policy’
The government has no plan to do away with quota policy for Dalits and tribes, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.
The assurance came a day after violent protests claimed nine lives against a Supreme Court order that dilutes a law on preventing atrocities against the marginalized communities in the country.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh dubbed as rumours speculation that the government wanted to end the reservation system. "Rumours are being spread about reservation policy, it is wrong.
"I appeal to all political parties to help in maintaining peace and amity in the country," he said amid noisy protests in the House.
Opposition members shouted slogans and were on their feet in protest against the Supreme Court's March 20 order diluting certain provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Rajnath Singh said the government acted swiftly and had already filed a petition in the top court seeking review of its order.
