Parading the eyewitness: Caste atrocity and the Test Identification Parade.

The article critically examines the role of the Test Identification Parade (TIP), as governed by Section 9 of the Indian Evidence Act (IEA), within the adjudication of caste-based atrocities under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (POAA). It highlights how evidentiary practices, particularly the use and misuse of TIPs, intersect with systemic caste biases in India's police and judiciary, often undermining the credibility of oppressed caste (Dalit) witnesses and impeding justice. Through case studies such as the Bathani Tola massacre and other instances involving marginalized groups, the article reveals patterns of delayed or denied TIPs, excessive procedural demands, and judicial reluctance to apply the POAA, which collectively contribute to impunity for dominant caste perpetrators. The discussion underscores the need for anti-caste reforms in evidentiary law, greater judicial diversity, and a jurisprudence that recognizes the socio-political realities of caste violence to ensure fairer outcomes for marginalized communities.