The Odisha government has expanded the powers of Police Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors by authorizing them to investigate cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Until now, only officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) and above were empowered to conduct investigations, make arrests, and file cases in court under this Act. With the new notification issued by the Home Department, Inspectors and SIs will now be able to independently investigate such cases, arrest accused persons, and present cases in special courts. The decision aims to ensure quicker response, faster justice delivery, and reduce delays caused by dependence on higher-ranked officers. The proposal for this empowerment had earlier been discussed at the Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC), and now the government has formally implemented it through an official order circulated to all concerned police units, including DGP offices, CID, district headquarters, and Commissionerates.