Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed authorities to boost conviction rates in cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This directive was given during a meeting of the State-Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee overseeing the Act’s implementation. Fadnavis emphasized the need to evaluate government prosecutors based on their performance in securing convictions under these special laws.
He also proposed introducing reforms to limit case settlements or compoundings to a maximum of two instances, as outlined in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Fadnavis stressed the importance of setting up fast-track courts in districts with high Atrocity case numbers to expedite trials and ensure timely justice for victims. Additionally, he called for an analysis by the Home Department’s ‘MARVEL’ institute to identify reasons for low conviction rates and develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline case handling.
Fadnavis highlighted specific districts reporting a significant volume of Atrocities Act cases and directed the police administration to investigate the underlying causes. He emphasized the need to protect witnesses during trials of serious crimes like murder, rape, and dacoity by implementing a Witness Protection Program. The Chief Minister also mandated enhanced coordination between district authorities and government prosecutors, along with regular high-level review meetings to ensure effective law enforcement.
