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The National Helpline Against Atrocities (NHAA) is an initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. It aims to provide support to individuals from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) facing caste-based atrocities, ensuring timely assistance and legal aid.

Any individual belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes who has experienced or witnessed caste-based discrimination or atrocities can utilize the NHAA services to report incidents and seek assistance.

You can report any caste-based violence, discrimination, abuse, or injustice faced by SC/ST individuals under the POA Act.

You can reach the NHAA 24/7 through the toll-free number 14566. This service is available nationwide and supports Hindi, English, and regional languages.

You can track your grievance by visiting nhapoa.gov.in and clicking on "Track Grievance Status" using your grievance ID.

The Central Assistance is released to the States and UTs based on the viable proposal received from the State Governments and Union territory Administrations. The funding pattern of the Scheme is as such that the total expenditure over and above the committed liability is shared on 50:50 basis between the Central Government and concerned State Government/UT (with legislature) whereas 100% Central assistance would be provided to Union Territory Administrations (without legislature).

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities){PoA} Act, 1989, was enacted and brought into force on 31.01.1990 to prevent commission of offences of atrocities against the members of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs), to provide for Special Courts for the trial of such offences and for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of such offences.

The scheme is implemented by the respective State Governments and the Union Territory Administrations.

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme commenced in the year 1974-75. Initially the scheme provided Central assistance to the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations towards effective implementation of the Protection of Civil Rights {PCR} Act, 1955. After another Act of Parliament namely the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities){PoA} Act, 1989, was enacted and brought into force on 31.01.1990 to prevent commission of offences of atrocities against the members of the Scheduled Castes(SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes(STs), the scope of the Scheme was extended to cover the PoA Act as well.

The provisions of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 (20 of 1958) shall not apply to any person above the age of fourteen years who is found guilty of having committed any offence punishable under this Act

Subject to such rules as the Central Government may make in this behalf, the State Government shall take such measures as may be necessary for ensuring that the rights arising from the abolition of 'untouchability' are made available to, and are availed of by, the persons subjected to any disability arising out of the 'untouchability'.

  • In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (I), such measures may include -
    1. the provision of adequate facilities, including legal aid, to the persons subjected to any disability arising out of 'untouchability' to enable them to avail themselves of such rights;
    2. the appointment of officers for initiating or exercising supervision over prosecutions for the contravention of the provisions of this Act;
    3. the setting up of special courts for the trial of offences under this Act;
    4. the setting up of Committees at such appropriate levels as the State Government may think fit to assist the State Government in formulating or implementing such measures;
    1. Ins. by Act 106 of 1976, s. 16 (w.e.f. 19-11-1976).
    2. Subs. by s. 17, ibid., for s. 15 (w.e.f 19-11-1976).
      1. provision for a periodic survey of the working of the provisions of this Act with a view to suggesting measures for the better imple- mentation of the provisions of this Act; The identification of the areas where persons are under any dis-ability arising out of 'untouchability' and adoption of such measures as would ensure the removal of such diability from such areas.
      3. The Central Government shall take such steps as may be necessary to co-ordinate the measures taken by the State Governments under sub-section (1).
    3. The Central Government shall, every year, place on the Table of each House of Parliament, a report on the measures taken by itself and by the State Governments in pursuance of the provisions of this section.

    Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), every offence punishable under this Act shall be cognizable and every such offence, except where it is punishable with imprisonment for a minimum term exceeding three months, may be tried summar- ily by a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or in a metropolitan area by a Metropolitan Magistrate in accordance with the procedure specified in the said Code.

  • Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Proced-ure, 1973 (2 of 1974), when any public servant is alleged to have committed the offence of abetment of an offence punishable under this Act, while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of his official duty, no court shall take cognizance of such offence of abetment except with the previous sanction-
    1. of the Central Government, in the case of a person employed in connection with the affairs of the Union; and
    2. of the State Government, in the case of a person employed in connection with the affairs of a State

    • Whoever abets any offence under this Act shall be punishable with punishment provided for the offence.
    Explanation - A public servant who willfully neglects the investigation of any offence punishable under this Act shall be deemed to have abetted an offence punishment under this Act.

    For the purpose of providing for speedy trial, the State Government shall, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for each district a Court of Session to be a Special Court to try the offences under this Act.

    Every person against whom an order has been made under section 10 shall, if so required by the Special Court, allow his measurements and photographs to be taken by a police officer.

  • If any person referred to in sub-section (1), when required to allow his measurements or photographs to be taken resists or refuses to allow his taking of such measurements or photographs, it shall be lawful to use all necessary means to secure the taking thereof.
  • Resistance to or refusal to allow the taking of measurements or photographs under sub-section (2) shall be deemed to be an offence under section 186 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
  • Where an order under section 10 is revoked, all measurements and photographs (including negatives) taken under sub-section (2) shall be destroyed or made over to the person against whom such order is made.

    • Whoever, not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe -forces a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe to drink or eat any inedible or obnoxious substance acts with intent to cause injury, insult or annoyance to any member of a Scheduled Caste, or a Scheduled Tribe by dumping excreta, waste matter, carcasses or any other obnoxious substance in his premises or neighbourhood forcibly removes clothes from the person of a member of a Schedul-ed Caste or a Scheduled Tribe 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, a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe or gets the land allotted to him transferred
  • wrongfully dispossesses a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe from his land or premises or interferes with the enjoyment of his rights over any land, premises or water
  • compels or entices a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe to do "e;begar"e; or other similar forms of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purposes imposed by Government
  • forces or intimidates a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe not to vote or to vote to 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 against a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe
  • gives any false or frivolous information to any public servant and thereby causes such public servant to use his lawful power to the injury or annoyance of a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe
  • intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view
  • assaults or uses force to any woman belonging to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe with intent to dishonour or outrage her modesty
  • being in a position to dominate the will of a woman belonging to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe 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 by members of the Scheduled Castes or a Scheduled Tribes so as to render it less fit for the purpose for which it is ordinarily used
  • denies a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe any customary right of passage to a 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 a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe to leave his house, village or other place of residence 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.

    • In this Act unless the context otherwise requires -quoteatrocity quote means an offence punishable under section 3

  • "eCode"e means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) quoteScheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes"e shall have the mean-ings assigned to them respectively under clause (24) and clause (25) of article 366 of the Constitution quote Special Court"e means a Court of Session specified as a Special Court in section 14 Special Public Prosecutor"e means a Public Prosecutor specified as a Special Public Prosecutor or an advocate referred to in section 15;words and expressions unsed but not defined in this Act and de-fined in the Code or the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) shall have the meanings assigned to them respectively in the Code, or as the case may be, in the Indian Penal Code. Any reference in this Act to any enactment or any provision thereof shall in relation to an area in which such enactment or such provision is not in force, be construed as a reference to the corresponding law, if any, in force in that area.;

    • This Act may be called the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled extent and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

  • It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
  • It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

    • The stamp on the FIR bears a DD Number or Daily Diary Number. It is a proof that they received your complaint. In case you lose your copy, you can use these details to access the FIR online for free

    If the area where the incident occurred is within the reach (jurisdiction of the police station) then, the police authority possess all the power to investigate. The police officer himself assesses whether the complaint is worth entertaining or not. E.g. where there is an FIR of theft of Rs.50 then the police might not forward with the complaint. If convinced with the findings of First Information Report, police forward a report to the magistrate and ask him to take cognizance of the offense. Further, magistrate orders an investigation on the basis of First Information Report. A police officer might require the attendance of any person being within the local area of such police station. During enquiry of an FIR and its investigation, no statement made by any person to a police officer in the course of an investigation shall be signed by the person making it. After taking the final report, if the magistrate is satisfied with the report and findings of the investigation on the basis of First Information Report, court summons is issued.

    In such case, a person may send the substance of such information ? in writing and by post ? to the concerned S.P. (Superintendent of police). When S.P. receives such information it is his duty to either investigate such matter or pass the matter and order an investigation by the concerned authority.

    A general diary (GD) entry or a daily diary entry is made when any kind of complaint is lodged and the police enter the details in their records. ... The general diary entry is an internal police record, while in the case of FIR or non-cognizable report, a copy of these will be provided to the complainant.