The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay the amendments to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that restored the provision of no anticipatory bail for the accused.
A Bench headed by Justice AK Sikri said the pending review petition filed by the Centre against the apex court’s March 20, 2018, verdict and the pleas challenging the new amendments made in the SC/ST verdict will be taken up together.
The Bench referred the matter to the Chief Justice for reconstitution of a Bench which included Justice UU Lalit .
No immediate arrest provision
Justice Lalit was part of a Bench which had passed the March verdict, taking note of the rampant misuse of the stringent SC/ST Act against government servants and held that there would be no immediate arrest on any complaint filed under the law.
The top court had earlier said that the new amendments to the SC/ST law passed by Parliament cannot be stayed and had sought the Centre’s response on the pleas challenging the provisions.
The pleas have sought declaration of the new amendments to the Schedule Castes and Schedules Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as ultra vires.