Ms.Beena Pallical – General Secretary NDMJ -(NCDHR)
National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR)-NDMJ
Over the recent years, Dalit and Adivasi communities across India have been increasingly and powerfully asserting their constitutional rights and entitlements which is normally denied to them for centuries. This collective assertion has been a historic step toward reclaiming dignity and justice. Yet, this very assertion has also resulted in a sharp escalation of caste-based atrocities against the communities.
Recognizing the gravity of these crimes and the inadequacy of earlier legal safeguards such as the Protection of Civil Rights (PCR) Act, 1955 and the general provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Indian Parliament enacted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, along with its Rules of 1995. This landmark legislation was designed as a comprehensive legal framework to deter atrocities, ensure justice to victims and survivors, and hold duty-bearers accountable.
In 2009, on the occasion of the completion of twenty years of the PoA Act, the NCSPA-NDMJ-NCDHR conducted a study on the status of implementation of the PoA Act titled “ 20 Years-Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989- A Report Card .” This report comprehensively lists the major gaps in the implementation of the PoA Act, which result in impunity for the oppressors of the dominant communities.
This report also spoke about a constructive and comprehensive range of recommendations to ensure thorough and effective implementation of the SC/ST(PoA) Act and Rules, and to reduce atrocity cases. It included an amendment in the Act incorporating the newly emerging forms of atrocities, to bring an exclusive chapter of the rights of the victims and witnesses, appointment of Special Public prosecutors in all vacant places, establishment of the Exclusive Special Courts, booking the non-SC/ST police officer refusing to register a FIR for a reported atrocity under section 4 of the Act, empower Special Courts to take cognizance of offences under the SC/ST (PoA) Act directly and so on.
After more than a decade-long struggle of the coalition, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2013, which comprehensively overhauled the parent Act and Rules, was introduced in parliament on 12 December 2013, but could not be taken up for discussion.
The amendments received presidential assent on 31 December 2015, was notified as Act 1 of 2016 on 1 January 2016 in the Gazette of India Extraordinary and came into force on 26 January 2016.
The Act stands expansive in its vision and scope, listing a wide range of offences, establishing statutory monitoring mechanisms, defining the duties of officers, prescribing stringent penalties, and ensuring relief and rehabilitation measures. It was a promise of justice, equality, and human dignity for Dalits and Adivasis.
However, after more than two decades of its implementation, continuous monitoring and field engagement have revealed deep systemic failures. The data shows low conviction and high acquittal rates, inadequate police response, procedural lapses, and deliberate negligence by public prosecutors. Justice, too often, remains denied or delayed. While constitutional safeguards exist on paper, the lived reality for many continues to reflect exclusion, violence, and institutional apathy.
It was in response to this urgent need for accountability and transparency that the Atrocity Tracking and Monitoring (ATM) System was conceptualized and developed. The ATM system emerged as a collaborative innovation under the National Coalition for Strengthening the SCs and STs (PoA) Act, led by the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) and its unit, the National Dalit Movement for Justice (NDMJ).
The ATM system was formally launched on 27th March 2014 at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, by Dr. K.G. Balakrishnan, former Chief Justice of India. The platform marked a significant milestone in strengthening access to justice for Dalit and Adivasi communities. It enables human rights organizations, civil society actors, and state institutions to store, share, and access real-time data on atrocities; track case progress; and generate alerts and reports for timely intervention and follow-up.
The system addresses critical challenges faced by grassroots Dalit and Adivasi organizations such as the lack of centralized data, limited coordination, and difficulty in tracking the progress of cases. By digitizing case information and enabling nationwide access, the ATM system has transformed how organizations respond to caste-based crimes, making justice processes more transparent and participatory.
This pioneering initiative has further inspired policy-level innovation. In a significant step toward institutionalizing justice delivery for Dalit and Adivasi communities, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has set up a National Helpline for the Prevention of Atrocities on members of SC/STs. The helpline functions as a dedicated, accessible grievance redressal system to receive atrocity-related complaints from members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes across the country.
This national helpline draws conceptual and structural inspiration from the Atrocity Tracking and Monitoring (ATM) System developed and launched by the National Dalit Movement for Justice (NDMJ) under the aegis of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR). Through consistent advocacy, policy dialogue, and collaboration with government institutions, NDMJ–NCDHR played a pivotal role in influencing and shaping the creation of this national-level platform.
As we move forward, our commitment remains unwavering: to deepen the culture of justice, to strengthen institutional accountability, and to uphold the constitutional promise of equality, dignity, and fraternity.
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