BHUBANESWAR: Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Friday announced plans to establish seven fast-track courts for women to deliver quick justice and five independent cyber courts to deal with increasing number of cyber crime cases in the state.
Addressing a workshop on ‘Demographic Transition and Legal Systems: Preparing for Emerging Human Futures’, organised jointly by the Law department and United Nations Population Fund in Bhubaneswar, the minister said the government is giving special emphasis to women’s safety and speedy justice delivery. “The state is considering setting up seven women fast-track courts and five dedicated cyber courts to curb cyber crime and ensure prompt punishment,” he stated.
Harichandan said the government is working on comprehensive reforms in the legal and governance framework keeping in view the goals of Viksit Odisha-2036 and Viksit Bharat-2047. He stressed the need to make the legal system future-ready in tune with changing demographic and social realities.
He said more than 50 per cent of the state population comprises youth but the proportion of elderly people is expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. “Along with economic development, we have to ensure holistic development. The legal system must be updated in accordance with changing demographic and social conditions. We must prepare policies keeping the next 50 years in mind,” he said.
Harichandan further said the government is preparing development strategies after studying the demographic profile of all districts, regions and communities, including 62 tribal communities and 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Legal awareness programmes in local languages will also be organised in rural areas to educate people about their rights, he added.
Speaking at the event, Odisha Law Commission chairman Justice Biswanath Rath called for making the legal system more people-centric in view of evolving social conditions. Chief secretary Anu Garg said demographic transition is linked not only to population growth but also to family structures, social security and justice delivery mechanisms.
Advocate general Pitambar Acharya said that changing family systems and social responsibilities have contributed to a rise in litigation, underlining the need for simpler and more accessible laws. Head of UNFPA Odisha, Nadeem Noor spoke on social work practices in demographic transition and its reflection in the justice system.