Ans: In case a person, not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe, forces a member of SC/ST

to drink or eat any inedible or obnoxious substance;

to cause injury, insult or annoyance by dumping excreta, waste matter, carcasses or any other obnoxious substance in his premises or neighbourhood;

forcibly removes clothes or parades him naked or with painted face or body or commits any similar act which is derogatory to human dignity;

wrongfully occupies or cultivates any land owned by, or allotted to, or notified by any competent authority to be allotted to him transferred;

wrongfully dispossesses from his land or premises or interferes with the enjoyment of his rights over any land, premises or water;

compels or entices to do “begar” or other similar forms of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purposes imposed by Government;

forces or intimidates not to vote or to vote a particular candidate or to vote in a manner other than that provided by law;

institutes false, malicious or vexatious suit or criminal or other legal proceedings;

gives any false or frivolous information to any public servant and thereby causes such as public servant to use his lawful power to the injury or annoyance;

intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate any place within public view;

assaults or uses force to any woman with intent to dishonour or outrage her modesty;

being in a position to dominate the will of a woman and uses that position to exploit her sexually to which she would not have otherwise agreed;

corrupts or fouls the water of any spring, reservoir or any other source ordinarily used so as to render it less fit for the purpose for which it is ordinarily used ;

denies any customary right of passage to place of public resort or obstructs such member so as to prevent him from using or having access to a place

of public resort to which other members of public or any section thereof have a right to use or access to;

forces or causes to leave his house, village or other place of residence.

What is the maximum punishment provided for the commission of such offences under the act?

Ans: The offenders of such offences shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.

What relief is provided to an SC/ST person affected by atrocities?

Ans: Relief is provided as under

Murder of earning member- Rs. 2 lakhs
Murder of non – earning member – Rs. 1 lakhs
100% incapacitation – Rs.1 lakh
Sexual exploitation of a woman – Rs.50,000/-