SC/ST Act case in SC: Apex court observes individual cannot be arrested on basis of 'one-sided version'

An individual cannot be arrested on a ‘one-sided version,’ the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday while hearing a review petition against the apex court’s verdict on the SC/ST Atrocities Act. [caption id=“attachment_4468405” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A view of Supreme Court of India. PTI[/caption] The court also said that it has the responsibility to ensure liberty and fair procedure to all persons in society, and that Parliament cannot make a law that denies people the rights under Article 21 (protection of life and persona; liberty). The bench adjourned the case till July. This was the third hearing of the review petition against the apex court’s 20 March judgment. In its last hearing too, the apex court had rejected the Centre’s demand for a stay on its verdict on the SC/ST Act and said it favoured “100 percent” the protection of the rights of these communities and punishing those guilty of atrocities against them. The Centre had moved the apex court on 2 April seeking review of its judgement by which safeguards were put on the provisions for immediate arrest under the SC/ST Act. Several states were rocked by widespread violence and clashes following a ‘ Bharat Bandh ’ call given by several organisations protesting the top court’s order. The violence had claimed eight lives. With inputs from PTI