Supreme Court Ruling on SC/ST Act Public View Requirement on May 11, 2026

Key facts

• The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that caste-based abuse occurring inside a private residence without public presence or visibility does not attract offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
• A bench comprising Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice N V Anjaria held that the expression in any place within public view is a mandatory ingredient for offences under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Act.
• Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST Act pertains to intentional insult or intimidation with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view.
• Section 3(1)(s) of the Act deals with abusing any person belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) by caste name in any place within public view.
• The SC reiterated the landmark ruling in State of Haryana v Bhajan Lal, stating that a First Information Report (FIR) must be quashed if its contents fail to disclose the necessary ingredients of a cognisable offence.