Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
SC/ST Atrocities Act: help for victims and their families
The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 makes acts of humiliation, violence, boycott and exploitation against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes special offences. It gives the victim rights at every stage: the FIR, the investigation, bail and the trial, and relief money from the State.
Law checked on 13 November 2026.
- Helpline (24 hours)
- 14566
- Emergency
- 112
- FIR
- No preliminary enquiry
- Charge sheet within
- 60 days
- Free legal aid
- NALSA 15100
If you are in danger
Help now
If someone is threatening you or your family, call 112. The national helpline against atrocities takes complaints round the clock, in Hindi, English and regional languages.
- 112 Emergency (police)
- 14566 National Helpline Against Atrocities
- 1800-202-1989 Same helpline, toll-free
- 15100 Free legal aid (NALSA)
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Getting the FIR registered
- Go to the police station and tell them what happened. No preliminary enquiry is needed before an FIR is registered under this Act, and no approval is needed before an arrest (section 18A). You can report at any police station, wherever it happened (Zero FIR, section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023).
- Get a free copy of the FIR and check that it records what you said, including the sections of this Act.
- If the police will not register it, give a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police, keep a copy with the date, and call 14566. A public servant who neglects the duties this Act gives them commits an offence (section 4).
The investigation
The investigation is done by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (rule 7(1) of the 1995 Rules). It is to be completed and the charge sheet filed in the Special Court within 60 days, and any delay must be explained in writing (section 4(2)(e); rule 7(2) and (2-A)). If you hear nothing by then, ask the investigating officer, the Superintendent of Police or the Special Court.
Your rights in court
- To be told. You, or your dependants, have the right to reasonable, accurate and timely notice of every court proceeding, including any bail hearing (section 15A(3)).
- To be heard. You have the right to be heard at bail, discharge, release, parole, conviction and sentence (section 15A(5)). The Supreme Court has set aside bail granted without this notice (Hariram Bhambhi v. Satyanarayan, 2021).
- A Special Court. Cases under the Act are tried by Special Courts and Exclusive Special Courts (section 14).
- Anticipatory bail. The ordinary provision for anticipatory bail does not apply to offences under this Act (section 18). The Supreme Court upheld this in 2020, saying a court can still grant it where the complaint does not make out a case at all on its face (Prathvi Raj Chauhan v. Union of India).
Relief money from the State
The 1995 Rules fix an amount of relief for each kind of offence, paid in parts as the case moves on. Victims and witnesses are also entitled to travel and maintenance expenses for attending the investigation and the court.
Apply to the District Magistrate or the district social welfare office, keep a copy of what you give them, and ask the helpline (14566) if it is delayed. The amounts are revised from time to time; the official site of the helpline publishes the current Rules.
National Helpline Against Atrocities: the Act, the Rules and complaint tracking
A free lawyer
Members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are entitled to free legal services under section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, whatever their income. Call NALSA on 15100, or apply at the District Legal Services Authority in the district court building.
Other rights pages
Free tools for this
Advocates and firms who take some pro bono matters
Each said so on their own LegalFirms.in profile, and decides case by case which matters to take without a fee. Listed profiles only, A to Z; LegalFirms.in does not rank them. Open a profile to send an enquiry directly, and say that you are asking for pro bono help.
Advocates (3)
- Adv. Prakash C SoniIndore, Madhya PradeshFamily and matrimonial, Domestic violence, Women's rights, Children and custody, Criminal defence and bail, Senior citizens and maintenance
- Adv. Renu SinghDelhiFamily and matrimonial, Domestic violence, Women's rights, Criminal defence and bail, Wages and workplace, Civil rights and discrimination
- Adv. Sharma ShivamDelhiFamily and matrimonial, Domestic violence, Criminal defence and bail, Tenancy and eviction, Consumer complaints, Civil rights and discriminationSays they are registered with Nyaya Bandhu
Law firms (1)
- RSA PARTNERSNoida, Uttar PradeshFamily and matrimonial, Domestic violence, Criminal defence and bail, Wages and workplace, Consumer complaints, Civil rights and discrimination
Want an advocate to help with the FIR or the case? Tell us what happened and where. Sending an enquiry is free. It goes to advocates who handle criminal matters, and your number goes only to those who open it. You can also ask the legal services authority for a free lawyer.
Questions people ask
Can the police refuse to register the FIR and do an enquiry first?
No. Section 18A says no preliminary enquiry is required before an FIR is registered under this Act. A public servant who neglects duties under the Act commits an offence (section 4).
What is 14566?
The National Helpline Against Atrocities, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It takes complaints round the clock, and you can track a complaint at nhapoa.gov.in. The toll-free number 1800-202-1989 reaches the same helpline.
Will I be told when the accused applies for bail?
You must be. The victim or dependants have the right to timely notice of every court proceeding, including bail, and to be heard (section 15A(3) and (5)).
How long does the investigation take?
The charge sheet is to be filed within 60 days, and the investigating officer must explain any delay in writing (rule 7(2) and (2-A) of the 1995 Rules).
Is there compensation?
Yes. The 1995 Rules fix relief for each offence, paid in parts as the case moves on. Apply to the District Magistrate or the district social welfare office.
Do I have to pay for a lawyer?
No. Members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes qualify for free legal services under section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. Call 15100.
- Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, as amended in 2015 and 2018
- SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, 1995, as amended
- National Helpline Against Atrocities (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)
- Prathvi Raj Chauhan v. Union of India, 2020 INSC 157, Supreme Court, 10 February 2020
- Hariram Bhambhi v. Satyanarayan, Supreme Court, 2021
- Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, section 12
General information on Indian law, not legal advice for your situation. Time limits and procedure can turn on facts and on State law; an advocate can tell you how they apply to you.