Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Friday, 25 July 2026 that his government has established six dedicated special courts under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act across six districts of Odisha, promising faster trials and stronger rights protection for atrocity victims.

Context

Posting in Odia on X, CM Majhi wrote: 'ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସରକାରରେ ସାମାଜିକ ନ୍ୟାୟକୁ ମିଳୁଛି ସର୍ବାଧିକ ପ୍ରାଥମିକତା' — 'Social justice receives the highest priority in the people's government.' He stated that the six exclusive courts have been set up in Bhadrak, Ganjam, Jajapur, Kendrapara, Puri and Khordha districts, and that they will ensure 'swift hearings, speedy justice for victims, and stronger protection of their rights.' He concluded: 'Justice for all, protection for everyone — this is the core commitment of the people's government.'

The announcement marks a concrete step in the BJP-led Odisha government's social justice agenda, less than two years after Majhi took office in June 2024 following the party's first-ever majority in the state assembly.

Policy Backdrop

The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 — commonly called the POA Act — mandates that state governments establish special courts to ensure expeditious trial of caste-based atrocity cases. The 2015 amendment to the Act made the creation of exclusive special courts — courts that handle only POA cases — mandatory, and added provisions for victim relief and time-bound investigation.

Before the 2015 amendment, many states designated existing sessions courts as 'special courts' on a shared basis, leading to high case pendency and prolonged trials for victims from SC/ST communities. Exclusive courts, by contrast, are required to hear only atrocity cases, significantly reducing the backlog burden.

State governments across India have progressively moved to notify such exclusive courts, particularly after central government reviews flagged low conviction rates and high pendency in shared-court arrangements. Odisha's move to cover six districts simultaneously fits this national pattern of strengthening legal infrastructure for marginalised communities.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities in Bhadrak, Ganjam, Jajapur, Kendrapara, Puri and Khordha — six of Odisha's most populous districts. Victims of caste atrocities in these areas will no longer need to wait in long queues behind general criminal cases for their matters to be heard.

Legal aid organisations and civil society groups working with Dalit and Adivasi communities have long argued that delays in trial are themselves a form of denial of justice, often forcing victims to withdraw complaints. Dedicated courts directly address this structural barrier.

For the Majhi government, the move also carries political significance: Odisha has a substantial SC/ST population, and delivering on social justice commitments is central to the BJP's consolidation of its electoral base in the state.

What's Next

The effectiveness of the six new courts will ultimately be measured by their case disposal rates and conviction statistics over the next 12 to 18 months, metrics that the central government periodically reviews. Advocacy groups are likely to watch whether adequate public prosecutors and support infrastructure are put in place alongside the court notifications.

There will also be pressure on the state government to extend similar exclusive courts to the remaining districts of Odisha, particularly those with high reported incidences of caste atrocities. How swiftly the government moves on that expansion could define the long-term legacy of this announcement.