State to reply on SC/ST Act implementation

The state, within three weeks, will have to file an affidavit informing the high court whether it had forwarded reports to the Centre on implementation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the state.

The state, within three weeks, will have to file an affidavit informing the high court whether it had forwarded reports to the Centre on implementation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the state.

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A division bench of Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice V.K. Tahilramani was hearing a public interest litigation filed by NGO National Dalit Movement for Justice, which alleged that the Act was not being implemented in the state.

Public prosecutor Pandurang Pol informed the court on Thursday that a high-powered committee had been formed recently under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan to oversee the implementation of the Act.

Pol also informed the court that the file concerning appointment of a nodal officer to oversee implementation of the Act had been referred to the chief minister who said within a fortnight a decision would be taken in this regard.

Counsel for the petitioner, Sanghraj Rupawate, alleged that the state government had not constituted a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of the chief minister.

He also said no nodal officer had been appointed in accordance with the rules framed under the Act in 1995.