New Delhi, May 17 (IANS): The government is looking into amending the existing laws to prevent atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik said here Thursday.

The move comes as over one lakh cases pertaining to atrocities against SCs and STs are pending in various states.

"There is a need to amend the (Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities) act. We have sent a concept note to all state governments," Wasnik informed the Rajya Sabha, adding that half a dozen states were still to reply.

The minister said that as soon as the states give their views, the process will be taken to the next level.

Giving details of the pending cases, the minister said out of over one lakh cases of atrocities pending at the end of 2010, the highest number of 19,939 cases were in Uttar Pradesh, followed by 13,590 cases in Madhya Pradesh.

Rajasthan had 11,524 cases pending at the end of 2010, Gujarat 9,437, Odisha 8,826, Bihar 7,776 and Karnataka 6,044 cases, Wasnik said.

He said the states were being impressed upon to set up special courts to try cases of atrocities on SCs and STs in places where conviction rate is low, pendency is high or registration of cases is high.

Public prosecutors would be de-notified if they did not perform their job well, Wasnik added.