As the Centre is waiting to gear up for an amendment of Prevention of SC/ST Atrocities (POA) Act, the twin States currently have 3,298 such cases pending enquiry over the past five years. Out of this, 16 per cent of the cases are related to rape and sexual harassment of women.
The National Crime Records Bureau data reveals that about 60 per cent of the atrocity cases have not reached even trial stage as most of these are only at the investigation and inquiry level. Crimes against women account for 30 per cent of the cases which are pending enquiry in the two States, even as this is lower than the national average.
As per the amendment proposed by the Centre crime against women including rape and other forms of sexual harassment will have a short trial period of 60 days, making it a task for the State police departments to complete inquiry in the old cases. “New amendments also talks about making the inquiry process quicker and easier for the victims. The amendments which were proposed in 2014 once implemented will mostly be applicable retrospectively. A majority of the pending cases will have to be cleared before the proposed amendment comes into action,” said advocate Kiran Kumar, who practices in Hyderabad High Court.
Alarmingly, among the pending cases are those which include grievous charges like murder on caste grounds, denial of burial ground, abetment of suicide and academic apartheid where children are thrown out of schools on caste grounds.
“In most POA cases anticipatory bail will not be granted. But in many cases the police fails to book prevention of SC/ST atrocity case against the accused to prolong arrests,” said advocate Gunratan, a practicing lawyer said.
According to him, police officials, who fail to book these cases can be booked under the POA act.
Once the State enacts the amendments, both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana police will have to deal with not just the pending cases, but also the new ones which will get added to the lot in 2015 and 2016.
“Unless the backlogs are cleared it will be impossible for the State and the Courts to keep pace and justice will be delayed even after enactment of the much awaited changes to the act which gives more teeth to it,” Mr. Kumar said. If the States were to clear the backlogs 60 per cent of the cases will have to be investigated and sent to courts for trial within the next six months.
