The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that its March 20 judgement on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had created anger and disharmony in the country, PTI reported. The government said the judgement amounted to “judicial legislation” and needed to be reviewed as it had done “great damage” to the country.
In a written reply to the Supreme Court, the Centre said that the order had “diluted” the provisions of the law and the court may need to recall the directions it had issued.
“This case, dealing with the issue of very sensitive nature, has caused a lot of commotion in the country and is also creating anger, unease and a sense of disharmony,” Attorney General KK Venugopal said in the submission.
On Friday, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a review petition the Centre had filed earlier this month challenging the March 20 order. In the hearing on April 3, the court refused to stay its controversial order and asked all parties including the Centre to submit detailed replies.
The bench had agreed to hear the review petition in open court on April 3 after 11 people died and hundreds were detained the previous day in violence during protests against its order. Multiple Dalit organisations had called for a nationwide shutdown.
While passing the order on March 20, the Supreme Court had said it was aimed at curbing the alleged misuse of the Act. According to its order, no public servant accused under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act can be taken into custody until an officer, not below the rank of deputy superintendent, conducts a preliminary inquiry.
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