Maharashtra Cabinet Approves New NDPS and SC-ST Courts

The Maharashtra Cabinet approved new courts on 28 July 2026 under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The package also included two additional courts in Karjat and Kurduwadi.

NDPS Act Court in Pune

A special court under the NDPS Act was approved for Pune district. Around 1,425 NDPS cases were pending in Pune at the time of the decision. The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 1.26 crore for the court, one district and additional sessions judge, and seven support staff.

SC-ST Act Exclusive Courts

Five exclusive special courts were approved for cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. These courts will function in Ahilyanagar, Parbhani, Solapur, Nanded, and Yavatmal. The Cabinet sanctioned Rs 4.51 crore for these courts, and each court will have one judge.

Pending Cases Under Special Laws

Maharashtra had 17,023 pending cases under the SC-ST Act across the State. Ahilyanagar had 1,014 pending cases, while Nanded had 735 pending cases. NDPS cases and SC-ST Act cases are tried under special legal frameworks that provide separate procedures and dedicated courts.

Important Facts for Exams

• The NDPS Act is the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• The SC-ST Act refers to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
• District and Additional Sessions Courts handle serious criminal matters at the district level in India.
• Judicial Magistrate First Class courts deal with criminal cases of lower and intermediate severity under the criminal justice system.

Additional Courts in Maharashtra

The Cabinet also approved a District and Additional Sessions Court at Karjat in Ahilyanagar district. A Junior Division Civil Court and a Judicial Magistrate First Class Court were approved for Kurduwadi in Madha taluka of Solapur district.