Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said the State Cabinet had taken a decision to this effect. ``However, the final authority to approve the withdrawal of cases is the judiciary. We will refer the cases to the courts concerned for the final decision,'' Joshi said.

He added that only cases from Mumbai, Pune city, Thane rural and Aurangabad rural police commissionerates were now pending. Last week, the State Government had decided to withdraw 1,074 cases filed against 18,903 activists from 14 districts.

New Magazine: The State Government has decided to launch its own magazine, Shiv Rajya, from Diwali this year.

Joshi today said the magazine had replaced the earlier version, Lok Rajya -- a fortnightly which was closed down on Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's orders. ``The first issue will be released in Diwali and cost the State Government Rs8.80 lakh per month. Over 30,000 copies will be printed every month and be sent to each gram panchayat in Maharashtra. The government has allocated Rs 54 lakh for the magazine for this year,'' Joshi said.

In defence of encounters: Speaking at a press conference, Joshi refused to react to the inquiry report submitted by Principal Sessions Judge A S Aguiar to the Bombay High Court in the encounters case.

The judge has indicted the Mumbai police for the killings of three alleged gangsters in two separate encounters. Joshi supported the Mumbai police, saying, ``The encounters were justified in unavoidable circumstances and justified as self-defence by the police.''

He said, ``The matter is now in the High Court and our lawyers will argue the case well there. I feel the police should not be demoralised by the commission's report. The decision of the officers are to be charged with murder will be taken only after the High Court gives its ruling in the matter.''