Bharat Bandh protests: Supreme Court agrees to open-hearing on Centre's plea to stay ruling on SC/ST Act today

The Dalit community on Monday has called for the Bharat Bandh, protesting against Supreme Court judgement over the 'dilution' of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. According to the recent report, a day after the Dalits protest, the top court agreed to open-court hearing the Centre's urgent plea seeking review on judgement and a stay on its ruling that has changed the certain provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Earlier, on Monday, the Narendra Modi-led government moved to the top court seeking to review the judgement on the SC/ST Act. However, the SC rejected the Centre's plea on urgent hearing on a writ petition filed by the All India Federation of SC/ST Organisations against the verdict.

However, the apex court agreed to hear the Centre's petition and will hear the plea at 2 pm today. The CJI Dipak Misra has constituted a special bench to hear the petition. This bench, of Justice AK Goel and UU Lalit, is the same one that made the ruling on the SC/ST Act last month, reported TOI.

"We have filed a very comprehensive review (petition)... senior lawyers will argue (the case) with all authority," Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

According to government sources, the decision to petition against the top court's ruling was taken after a discussion among the ministries of law and social justice. The social justice ministry filed the review petition.

The Dalit protests have hit life in several parts of the country following which the death tolls of people died in the violence to 10, living hundred injured.

Also read: Bharat Bandh: 10 killed in Dalit protests against SC verdict over SC/ST Act; Mayawati's BSP leader 'main conspirator' of the violence