THE SCHEDULED CASTES AND THE SCHEDULED TRIBES (PREVENTION OF ATROCITIES) ACT, 1989
No. 33 of 1989
An Act to prevent the commission of offences of atrocities against the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, to provide for Special Courts for the trial of such offences and for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of such offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Be it enacted by Parliament in the Fortieth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
Short title, extent and commencement. 1. (1) This Act may be called the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
Definitons. 2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
- (a) "atrocity" means an offence punishable under section 3;
- (b) "Code" means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 19732 of 1974;
- (c) "Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes" shall have the meanings assigned to them respectively under clause (24) and clause (25) of article 366 of the Constitution;
- (d) "Special Court" means a Court of Session specified as a Special Court in section 14; *
- (e) "Special Public Prosecutor" means a public Prosecutor specified as a Special Public Prosecutor or an advocate referred to in section 15;
- (f) words and expressions used but not defined in this Act and defined in the Code or the Indian Penal Code43 of 1861 shall have the meanings
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