National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes statistical data on crimes in its publication ‘Crime in India’. The published reports are available till the year 2023. As per the report, provided by NCRB, 24 cases of untouchability against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 are reported for the year 2023.

Article 17 of the Constitution of India abolished 'untouchability', forbade its practice and made enforcement of any disability arising out of 'untouchability', a punishable offence in accordance with law. An Act of Parliament namely the "Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 prescribes punishment for enforcement of any disability arising from the practice of 'untouchability'. Another Act of Parliament namely the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) {PoA} Act, 1989, was enacted to prevent atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989 was amended in the year of 2016 and 2018 respectively and the Rules made thereunder were also revised.

At the Central level, a Committee under the Chairpersonship of the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, with the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs as Co-chairperson, and comprising members from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Department of Justice, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and three non- official members (two from among the SCs and one from the STs), reviews the implementation status of the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (PoA) Act, 1989, in States and Union Territories.

Further, the Department also holds regular meetings with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to monitor the implementation of the PCR Act, 1955 and the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989. State Governments/UT administrations are advised to ensure prevention of discrimination on the basis of caste of any person and implement these Acts in letter and spirit. The Government of India, from time to time, has been issuing Advisories to State Governments/UT Administrations for effective implementation of Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Misuse has been reported by States who act as per relevant legal provisions.

National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes statistical data on crimes in its publication ‘Crime in India’. The published reports are available till the year 2023. As per the report, provided by NCRB, 3,07,355 cases are pending in the court under the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989 and 965 cases are pending in the court under the PCR Act, 1955.

This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT, SHRI RAMDAS ATHAWALE, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

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