Chandigarh, April 30 -- Complaints of atrocities and rights violations against Scheduled Castes have seen a sharp rise in the state, with the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission receiving over 16,000 cases since 2020, including a peak of 3,630 in 2025. In 2026, according to official data, the commission has already received around 1,100 complaints till March 31, indicating a sustained upward trend. At 32%, Punjab has the highest Scheduled Caste (SC) population in the country according to the 2011 Census, with nearly 45% of the community concentrated in the Doaba region, comprising Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar districts. Commission chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi said nearly 50% of the complaints pertained to police inaction, where victims allege delayed or inadequate response from law enforcement agencies. "This is followed by disputes related to land and government employment," he said. Garhi attributed the surge in complaints to increased accessibility and outreach by the commission, adding that its interventions had often prompted action from the police. "When I took charge in March last year, there was pendency of 5,500 complaints since 2016, of which 4,000 have now been resolved. The commission office is open to the public. Hearings are conducted 10 days a month and another 10 days are dedicated to meeting complainants," he said. A senior commission official said the body had also intensified its role by initiating suo motu proceedings based on media reports, particularly in cases involving violence against Dalits and other vulnerable groups. "In incidents such as the desecration of statues of Dr BR Ambedkar, the commission has stepped in proactively to ensure accountability and swift action," the officer added. The panel has also flagged violations in reservation policies within government departments. Officials pointed to irregularities in the implementation of roster systems, including instances where non-SC individuals were appointed to reserved posts. Another area the commission is focusing on is the fraudulent procurement of SC certificates being allegedly used to secure benefits in jobs and education. Despite its expanding workload, the panel is facing severe staff shortages. In a recent post on social media, chairman Garhi alleged that four employees were withdrawn by the social justice, empowerment and minorities department. "It has become difficult for us to operate effectively without adequate staff," he said. Repeated attempts to contact VK Meena, principal secretary of the department, drew no response....