Section 18A of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 deals with:

Section 18A, added in 2018, provides that a "preliminary enquiry shall not be required for registration of a First Information Report" and that the investigating officer "shall not require approval for the arrest, if necessary," of a person accused under the Act. Probation is excluded by section 19, collective fines are dealt with in section 16 and appeals in section 14A.