What question did this study set out to answer?

The central aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, in combating caste-based atrocities and promoting justice.

June 13, 2026Open Access

Negotiating Justice: Suffering, Resistance, and the SC/ST (POA) Act, 1989

Key Points

The central aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, in combating caste-based atrocities and promoting justice.
Analysis of constitutional provisions related to casteism and untouchability.
Evaluation of the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, focusing on its legal framework and intended impact.
Examination of historical context regarding the caste system and its implications on society.
The SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, establishes clear legal measures against atrocities related to casteism.
Despite legislative frameworks, actual implementation remains a challenge due to societal resistance and persistent caste practices.
Ongoing issues of untouchability and violence highlight the need for continued advocacy and legal reinforcement.

Abstract

India is a strange mix of pluralism and cosmopolitanism on the one side, and on the other side, casteism and sectarianism. India has a long history of a centuries-old caste system and its inhuman untouchability practices. She has failed to contain the evils of casteism. The spectre of casteism has been looming over the shining democracy as a blot of shame. India’s constitution has built a moral and legal structure for the uprooting of untouchability and caste violence. In light of constitutional morality, the SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989, was enacted. Here, the development of the concept of “atrocity” and the legal provisions intended to prevent it are discussed. The article assesses the effectiveness of the act. The article is based on the Bare Act -SC/ST (PoA) Act, 1989’

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