SC/ST ruling: Bharat bandh hits life in Punjab, Odisha; top 10 developments

Dalit groups around the country called Bhart Bandh after the Supreme Court recently diluted the Prevention of Atrocities against SC-ST Act. The apex court will hear a review petition today

Dalit organisations across the country have called a 'Bharat bandh' today to protest a recent Supreme Court ruling diluting the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.

Early in the day, movement of trains in Odisha's Sambalpur was blocked by protesters on Monday, according to reports by news agency ANI.

The Bharat bandh has already brought Punjab to a standstill, as CBSE has postponed the board exams scheduled for April 2, and transport services have been suspended. According to an Indian Express report, several army units have been kept on a standby, should the situation take an ugly turn. Internet services in the state were suspended on Sunday and will remain so through Monday.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, will later in the day hear a review petition filed on the matter by the government. The Centre is likely to tell the apex court that dilution of the Act will render it ineffective and prevent the dispensing of justice to the marginalised Dalit and tribal communities.

On March 20, the apex court had introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the Act while directing that there would be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the law.

The Supreme Court said that the change was brought to protect honest public servants discharging duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act. The apex court said government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law.

Here are the top 10 developments around the so-called dilution of the Act and the Bharat bandh called by Dalit organisations across the country:

1. CBSE postpones class 10, 12 exams in Punjab: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed class 12 and class 10 examinations in Punjab scheduled to be held on Monday at the request of the state government in view of the 'Bharat Bandh'.

The board said it had received a letter of request, dated April 1, 2018, from the director general (school education) of the Punjab government to postpone all its examinations scheduled to be held on account of apprehensions of law and order problems and other disturbances during the 'Bharat Bandh'.

2. Schools to be shut in Punjab: The Punjab government has also decided to keep all schools shut for the day, the CBSE said referring to the letter of the state government.

"Taking congnisance of the letter of the director general (school education), the CBSE decided to postpone all class 12 and 10 examinations scheduled for April 2 , 2018 in the state of Punjab," it said in a statement issued late in the night.

3. Exams unaffected in rest of the country: "Exams will carry on as per schedule in UT of Chandigarh and rest of the country," CBSE said. The next date of the examinations in Punjab will be announced soon by the board, it added.

Click here: SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989.

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