The Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act 1989 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to prohibit discrimination, prevent atrocities and hate crimes against scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Act is popularly known as the SC Act And ST Act, POA, the Prevention of Atrocities Act, or simply the Atrocities Act. It was enacted when the provisions of the existing laws (such as the Protection of Civil Rights Act 1955 and Indian Penal Code) were found to be inadequate to check these crimes (defined as 'atrocities' in the Act). Recognising the continuing gross indignities and offences against Scheduled Castes and Tribes, the Indian Parliament passed the 'Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Key features of SC-ST ACT 1989 The key features of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, are: Actions to be treated as offences - The Act outlines actions (by non SCs and STs) against SCs or