Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has directed officials to take measures for speedy disposal of cases of atrocity against members of SC and ST communities pending in various courts.
Participating in a meeting of the State-level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, on Monday, he directed the Principal Secretary to the Social Welfare Department to coordinate with the Home and Law departments to prevent any delays in investigation, the process of filing charge sheet, and prosecution.
He asked officials to hold a monthly review of the action taken as a follow-up to various decisions taken at the Vigilance and Monitoring Committee meetings.
Mr. Bommai issued strict instructions to ensure the safety and protection of complainants and witnesses. In sensitive cases, the police should take complainants and witnesses to court in police protection, he said, announcing that an Additional Advocate General would be appointed to oversee such cases.
More than 1.8 lakh applications under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006, have been rejected in the State. To review this, a State-level review committee, comprising three members from these communities too, would be set up, stated a release from the Chief Minister’s secretariat.
