Sikkim Government Designates Special Public Prosecutors for Atrocities Act Cases

The Government of Sikkim, through its Law Parliamentary Affairs Department, issued a significant notification on October 18, 2025, formally appointing a panel of Special Public Prosecutors. This notification, bearing No. 24/LPAD/2025, was published in the Sikkim Government Gazette (Extraordinary) No. 406 on the same date, and came into effect immediately upon its issuance. The instrument, a notification, was issued in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Act 33 of 1989). This action designates specific legal professionals to handle cases under the aforementioned Act before the Special Courts established for trying such offences. The notification effectively superseded a previous directive, Notification No. 548/LD/2020, which was dated February 6, 2020.

The primary objective of this notification is to bolster the legal framework for prosecuting offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, a landmark legislation aimed at preventing atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and providing for their relief and rehabilitation. The legislation provided: “the State Government is pleased to appoint the following Government Advocate-cum-Public Prosecutors/ Additional Public Prosecutors as Special Public Prosecutors for conducting the cases under the said Act before the designated Special Courts to try offences under the said Act with immediate effect”. This move ensures that dedicated legal expertise is available for these sensitive and crucial cases. The appointment of Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) is a critical enforcement mechanism, as these individuals are specifically tasked with representing the State in proceedings related to atrocities, thereby ensuring focused and effective prosecution. The earlier legal position, implied by the suppression of the previous notification, would have involved a different set of designated SPPs or a general public prosecutor system. By issuing this new notification, the State Government addresses the ongoing need for specialized legal representation to uphold the rights and protect the interests of victims from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The newly appointed panel comprises eleven legal professionals, including Government Advocate-cum-Public Prosecutors and Additional Public Prosecutors, who will now exclusively handle these cases, thereby streamlining the judicial process and reinforcing the State's commitment to combating atrocities. This measure is intended to fill any potential gaps in the prosecution of such cases, ensuring that justice is delivered efficiently and in accordance with the specific provisions of the 1989 Act.

Keywords: Sikkim, Special Public Prosecutors, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, Notification, Government Advocates, Law, Prosecution Geo Tags: India, Sikkim District: Not Applicable