The News Minute | May 23, 2013 | 9.12 am ISTThe Karnataka government has said that it will ask the central government to permit the formation of special courts to speed up the trials of cases of land grab.The provision is a part of the Karnataka Land Grabbing (Prohibition Bill), which was passed by the state legislature and is now awaiting Presidential clearance, according to a report published in The New Indian Express (Karnataka Seeks Centre Nod for Special Courts to Try Land Grabbing Cases).Following a clarification sought by the centre in December 2012, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said that he had already replied and added that the state government would urge the Home Secretary to recognise the importance of ensuring the speedy trial of land grab cases.Two days ago, The New Indian Express had reported (A Board to Look into Important Dismissed Cases) that the state government was mulling the constitution of a special Prosecution Board to review high profile criminal cases that were dismissed by the courts on technical grounds.Home Minister K J George told reporters that such a board would help improve the conviction rate by pinpointing loopholes in the chargesheets and FIRs submitted to the courts. Such a board would be able to establish the cause for the dismissal of cases and once reviewed, negligence or failure of duty by any official involved could be penalised.