Odisha Govt Designates 2 Special Courts To Hear ‘Honour Killing’ Cases

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has designated two special courts in the state for trail of criminal cases pertaining to Honour Killing and violence against couples.

According to an official notification of the Home Department, SDJM court of Nabarangpur and the court of Second Additional District & Sessions Judge, Berhampur, will serve as special courts to deal with such cases in their respective jurisdictions.

In August this year, the state government had announced that trial of honour killing cases will be done by designated courts or fast-track courts on a day-to-day basis and concluded within six months from the date of taking cognizance of the offence.

In a judgment in March, the Supreme Court had put in place a slew of preventive, remedial and punitive guidelines against khap panchayats and communal assemblies that target inter-caste and inter-religious couples.