Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has established six new exclusive special courts with an aim to ensure speedy trial and effective prosecution of offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
The Home Department issued a notification regarding this after statutory consultations and recommendations from the High Court of Orissa, an official statement said.
The newly established courts will function as courts of additional district and sessions judges-cum-special courts. The courts will hold exclusive jurisdiction over the revenue districts of Bhadrak, Ganjam (Berhampur), Jajpur, Kendrapara, and Puri, as well as the Khurda revenue sub-division.
The initiative aims to clear backlogs and significantly reduce pendency in high-caseload areas, it said.
This institutional milestone is the direct result of continuous assessment and sustained administrative driving force from the State Human Rights Protection Cell (SHRPC) at Police Headquarters, the statement said.
Following rigorous pendency audits and persistent coordination spearheaded by Additional DGP Yatindra Koyal, the SHRPC identified high-caseload regions and drafted the comprehensive proposal that ultimately secured judicial concurrence.
Following the statutory notification, the Home Department requested the High Court to formally appoint additional district and sessions judges as presiding officers for these courts.
Meanwhile, the government is also actively evaluating proposals for the setup of such special courts and appointment of special public prosecutors in other high-pendency districts, it said.