“97% ‘Untouchability’ Cases Pending in Courts: Government Report”

• The Protection of Civil Rights Act (PCR Act), 1955, has seen a decline in criminal cases related to “untouchability” in India.

• Pendency in courts remains above 97%, with nearly all disposed cases ending in acquittals.

• The Act defines various manifestations of untouchability and prescribes penalties.

• The National Crime Records Bureau reported 13 cases under the PCR Act in 2022, a decrease from 24 in 2021 and 25 in 2020.

• Of the 51 cases pending with police, chargesheets were filed in 12.

• At the court level, 1,242 cases were pending trial under the Act.

• The number of cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, has risen steadily.