BHUBANESWAR : In an effort to provide speedy justice in cases related to atrocities against people belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, Odisha Police has requested the state government to set up five exclusive special courts under SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in as many districts where pendency is high.
In a letter to the ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare secretary, the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) of the Odisha Police submitted the proposal to set up special courts in Bhadrak, Ganjam, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Khurda to expedite trial of atrocity cases under SC/ST (PoA) Act.
“This initiative is aimed at strengthening the justice delivery system in cases registered under the SC/ST (PoA) Act by focusing on key outcomes such as speedy disposal of atrocity cases, increased conviction rate, timely disbursal of relief to victims, enhanced deterrence against caste-based crimes and improved confidence in the justice system among the marginalised communities,” read the letter of HRPC.
The pendency analysis of Orissa High Court quoted by the letter says that six districts have more than 1,000 pending trial cases each under the SC/ST (PoA) Act. Cuttack has the maximum number of 1,720 pending cases followed by Khurda 1,565, Bhadrak 1,224, Jajpur 1,061, Ganjam 1,046 and Kendrapara 1,034.
Puri district too has about 1,556 pending cases and requires immediate consideration to set up an exclusive special court. The pendency levels indicate systemic stress on the existing judicial infrastructure, resulting in delayed trials, low disposal rates and risk of violation of statutory time limits under the PoA Act, the letter added.
In November last year, the Orissa High Court had recommended to set up seven exclusive special courts in Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhubaneswar UPD, Keonjhar, Khurda, Baripada and Sundargarh for expeditious trial of cases under the SC/ST (PoA) Act.
Earlier in 2018, the high court had asked to set up special courts in Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Bargarh districts. It had indicated that the recurring requirement per special court will be around `98.83 lakh annually towards salary, perks and establishment expenses.
Currently, only three exclusive special courts are functioning in Cuttack, Balasore and Balangir. Sources said the Odisha government has planned to set up 12 new courts in Bhadrak, Ganjam, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Bargarh, Bhubaneswar UPD, Puri, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh in a phase-wise manner.
The letter stressed that the proposed special courts will reduce pendency and deliver timely justice by ensuring prompt trial. Strengthening the quality of investigation and prosecution is expected to result in higher conviction rates, it said.
Speaking to TNIE, HRPC ADG Yatindra Koyal said that mechanisms are also being reinforced to facilitate swift and efficient delivery of compensation and necessary support to victims. “Collectively, these measures aim to create a robust deterrent effect while fostering trust and reassurance in the rule of law, particularly among vulnerable sections of the society,” he said.
The HRPC has also requested the ST and SC Development department to take necessary steps for creation of gazetted and non-gazetted posts for the proposed courts as per the staffing pattern suggested by the high court.