Supreme Court directs states to establish Victim Compensation Funds for SC/ST atrocities
March 2024
The Supreme Court's recent direction to establish dedicated Victim Compensation Funds represents a significant advancement in ensuring adequate and timely compensation for SC/ST atrocity victims. This development addresses long-standing issues of delayed disbursement and inadequate funding that have plagued the compensation mechanism. The Court emphasized that states cannot cite financial constraints as reasons for denying or delaying compensation, making it clear that victim support is a constitutional obligation, not a welfare measure subject to budgetary limitations.
UPSC Angle: Expected questions on judicial activism in social justice, state obligations under SC/ST Act, and evolution of compensation mechanisms. Likely to appear in Mains questions about implementation challenges and judicial interventions.