Over 4,000 criminal cases pending against MPs, MLAs for more than three decades: Supreme Court informed
According to a compiled data, trial in 264 cases has been stayed by high courts, while charges have yet not been framed in several cases which have been pending since 1991.
There are 4,122 pending criminal cases, some for over three decades, against present and former members of Parliament and legislative assemblies, the Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday. The issue related to the criminal cases against the former and present legislators on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) will be taken up by a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday.
To enable the setting up of adequate number of special courts for expedited trial in these cases, the apex court had sought detailed data on the pending criminal cases against the present and former legislators from the state and various high courts.
Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter along with advocate Sneha Kalita filed the data received from states and high courts and submitted it to the apex court.
According to the compiled data, trial in 264 cases has been stayed by high courts.
Charges have yet not been framed in several cases which have been pending since 1991, the report further said.
The court will hear the PIL filed by lawyer and BJP leader Aswhini Upadhyay seeking a life time ban on politicians convicted in criminal cases besides setting up of special courts to expeditiously try such cases involving elected representatives.