TO speed up cases registered under the Atrocity Act, the Maharashtra Government has decided to set up five special courts, which would include one at Yavatmal. These courts are designated as Exclusive Special Courts, means they would hear only cases related to alleged atrocity against Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. These courts would conduct trials under SC/ST Rules, 1989, which were further revised in 2015. The other Exclusive Special Courts are going to be opened at Ahmednagar, Parbhani, Solapur and Nanded.

 

Along side the Law and Judiciary Department has also given nod for creation of required posts at these new courts. The establishment of these courts came on the recommendation of Bombay High Court, with an aim to reduce the Atrocity Act cases. The HC has also accepted Government’s proposal to 2,863 new judicial posts, including that of District Judge, Senior Division Civil Judge, Judicial Magistrate First Class, and Junior Division Civil Judge. Further 11,064 posts for the court staff to is going to be created and additionally 5,803 hands are going to be sourced from external agency.

 

The new Exclusive Special Courts are going to be headed by District Judge/Additional District Judge, and the staff attached to them would include a Stenographer-Grade I category, one Superintendent, one Head Clerk, two Junior Clerks, one Bailiff, 2 peons (outsourced). Each of the court would have dedicated nine staff and 45 in all for the five new courts, said the official note. Normally State set-up Special Courts to deal with offences registered under Prevention of Corruption Act, TADA cases, NDPS and other special acts. For first time Law and Judiciary Department has used the terminology Exclusive, indicating that these courts are not going to be entrusted other offences other than that of SC/ST Atrocity Act cases.