General cases raise concern over Mannarkkad SC/ST court’s mandate
The Mannarkkad Special Court for SC/ST cases is facing challenges as it increasingly handles general criminal cases, which may undermine its original purpose. Legal experts express concerns that this shift could delay justice for SC/ST communities. Proposals for additional courts and improved access to justice are being discussed to address these issues.
- ▪The Mannarkkad court has 185 pending SC/ST cases and 155 pending IPC cases.
- ▪Legal experts argue that the SC/ST special court should remain exclusive to SC/ST cases.
- ▪There is a proposal for periodic camp sittings of the sessions court in Attappady to improve access to justice.
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The Special Court for scheduled castes/scheduled tribes [SC/ST] (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cases at Mannarkkad, set up for the speedy disposal of SC/ST cases, is facing concerns that its core mandate could be diluted as it increasingly handles general criminal cases triable by sessions courts.Lawyers and former prosecutors fear that general criminal cases could push SC/ST cases to the background, defeating the purpose of an exclusive court. As of Monday, the court had 185 pending SC/ST cases and 155 pending IPC cases.The need for prompt trials in SC/ST cases was evident in the Madhu lynching case. Madhu, a tribal youth from Attappady, was killed in 2018. The trial began four years later and was completed in 13 months following High Court intervention.
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