NDA delegation, led by Ram Vilas Paswan and Thawarchand Gehlot, meet PM Modi to discuss Supreme Court verdict on SC/ST atrocities act

NEW DELHI: A delegation of NDA's SC and ST MPs, led by LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Union Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss their concerns on the apex court judgement diluting provisions of the SC-ST atrocities act.

The Prime Minister assured the delegation that the government was committed towards the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), said leaders who met him.

Paswan said that during the meeting with Modi, he also demanded that on the lines of the Indian Administrative Services, the government should establish the Indian Judicial Services to ensure reservation in the judiciary.

The Union minister, whose party is an NDA constituent, said he had mentioned this to the prime minister.

There is not a single judge from the SC and ST communities in the Supreme Court, he said.

Athawale, who addressed a press conference with Paswan, said all the MPs from the SC and ST communities are confident that the government would take appropriate action in the matter.

"It was a good and elaborate discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Supreme Court judgement on the SC/ST atrocities act. Modi-ji listened to us and heard our concerns," Paswan said.

"We have also raised the demand for reservation for SCs and STs in the private sector and also in promotions in the public sector," he said. The place from where the "Ganges of justice flows, there is not a single judge from the SC or ST community," Paswan said.

Both the union ministers are pressing for a review of the Supreme Court verdict on the order of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The LJP has filed a review plea in the Supreme Court.

They said that they are confident that the government would soon file a review petition in the recent Supreme Court judgement on the act.

Gehlot has written to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad recently about a review plea against the Supreme Court verdict.

He noted that there are worries that the order will make the law "ineffective" and adversely impact the dispensation of justice to Dalits and tribals.

On March 20, the Supreme Court diluted stringent provisions mandating immediate arrest under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Act.

It took note of the rampant misuse of the stringent Act against government servants and held that a public servant can only be arrested after approval of the appointing authority.

A non-public servant can be arrested after approval by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) which may be granted in appropriate cases if considered necessary for reasons recorded, it said.