#Section 3(1)(s)

The Allahabad High Court holds that prosecution under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST (P.A.) Act requires the abusive act to occur in public view with clear casteist intent to humiliate. Private abuse inside a residence, even if caste-based, does not meet this threshold-sharpening the legal standard for invoking the Act and protecting against overreach in non-public incidents.

The J&K and Ladakh High Court ruled that a single caste-based word ('chinal') used in public does not prima facie constitute an offence under Section 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act unless there is clear evidence of intent to humiliate. The court granted anticipatory bail, emphasizing that contextual intent is crucial for establishing caste-based humiliation.