Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 — back to Table of Contents
Section 14. Special Court and Exclusive Special Court
(1) For the purpose of providing for speedy trial, the State Government shall, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the Official Gazette, establish an Exclusive Special Court for one or more Districts:
Provided that in Districts where less number of cases under this Act is recorded, the State Government shall, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for such Districts, the Court of Session to be a Special Court to try the offences under this Act:
Provided further that the Courts so established or specified shall have power to directly take cognizance of offences under this Act.
(2) It shall be the duty of the State Government to establish adequate number of Courts to ensure that cases under this Act are disposed of within a period of two months, as far as possible.
(3) In every trial in the Special Court or the Exclusive Special Court, the proceedings shall be continued from day-to-day until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined, unless the Special Court or the Exclusive Special Court finds the adjournment of the same beyond the following day to be necessary for reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided that when the trial relates to an offence under this Act, the trial shall, as far as possible, be completed within a period of two months from the date of filing of the charge sheet.
Note: This section was substituted in its entirety by the 2015 Amendment Act (Act 1 of 2016), with effect from 26 January 2016, introducing “Exclusive Special Courts” for the first time. A Karnataka State Amendment further empowers Karnataka’s Special Courts to take cognizance of offences directly as a court of original jurisdiction.
