#caste-based discrimination

Bombay High Court upholds denial of bail under Section 3(1)(s) of the Atrocities Act, ruling that caste-based abuse in public, corroborated by an independent witness, constitutes a prima facie offence warranting custodial interrogation. The judgment reinforces the stringent application of the Act in cases involving public humiliation of Scheduled Castes.

The Kerala High Court has held that intentional public humiliation of a Scheduled Caste student by a teacher constitutes a heinous act under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (POA) Act, rendering anticipatory bail inapplicable. This ruling reinforces that institutional caste-based abuse, even without physical violence, triggers the Act’s strict bail bar - sending a clear signal to educational institutions and public servants.

The Karnataka High Court has ruled that mere private caste-based abuse, lacking public visibility and unverified Scheduled Caste status, cannot trigger prosecution under the SC/ST Act. This clarifies the statutory boundary between personal insult and actionable atrocity, impacting how police and prosecutors assess complaints in rural and semi-urban settings.

Bombay HC rules that a consensual sexual relationship, even if later terminated due to caste-based refusal to marry, does not constitute an offence under Section 3(2)(va) of the SCST Act unless accompanied by coercive or degrading conduct. The judgment clarifies that mere caste-based discrimination in a consensual relationship does not attract atrocity provisions, impacting pre-arrest bail jurisprudence under the Act.

Chhattisgarh High Court holds that denying Scheduled Caste individuals access to government-built community halls violates fundamental rights and mandates prompt administrative redressal.