The government has scrapped an over 20-year-old provision of conducting medical examination in cases of non-invasive sexual harassment like gestures or acts intended to insult the modesty of women and stalking against SC and ST victims to enable them get quicker relief under a new law.
The new Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Rules, 2016, notified recently by government, also has provision of increased relief to victims ranging from Rs 85,000 to Rs 8.25 lakh. Earlier the amount ranged between Rs 75,000 and Rs 7.5 lakh, depending upon the nature of the offence.
Earlier 50 per cent of the amount was paid after medical examination and remaining 50 per cent at the conclusion of the trial, according to a senior official from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
"However, the new Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015 which came into force on January 26 this year, included a series of new offences following which the rules had to be modified.