Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Orders Timely Chargesheets in SC/ST Atrocities Cases

Quick summary:

• Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired a meeting of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Control of Atrocities) Vigilance and Monitoring committee on August 25, 2025.
• CM urged police officials to file chargesheets under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act within 60 days. Currently, only 63% of cases have progressed to chargesheets, with timely filing in just 84% over six months.
• Since 2023, out of the total registered cases (6,635), chargesheeting has occurred in just 4,912. Convictions have been secured in only 36 cases; investigation is ongoing for 679 others.
• Eleven fast-track courts are operational to handle atrocities-related cases; conviction rate stands at about a lowly 10%. Strict action was directed against police officials found colluding with accused parties.
• Enhanced medical compensation will be offered to victims suffering disabilities due to atrocities.
• In confirmed fake caste certificate cases (170), recovery processes where government benefits were improperly availed are mandated; coordination between departments for implementation emphasized.
• CM stressed probing counter complaints through proper verification prior to FIRs being lodged and addressing vacancies across the state’s DCRE police stations.

Devadasis Rehabilitation:

– A survey for identifying devadasis is underway as part of a forthcoming State rehabilitation package aimed at abolishing this practice entirely. Financial aid might be considered post-survey findings.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The meeting highlights systemic gaps in handling atrocity-related cases affecting scheduled Castes and Tribes including delayed investigations, inadequate conviction rates (~10%), and inconsistent coordination among departments expressed by karnataka’s administration clarity roadmap corresponding new solutions-directives-focused-victims CAN ensure small transitional-speed from justice remains pivotal speed-pushed resolve+self-restored