Centre to ask states to speed up cases against legislators

Also, undertrials who have served half their terms could be freed

The Centre has decided to write to state governments for speeding up cases against MPs and MLAs facing charges after the Supreme Court put the ball in the government’s court.

In a bid to decongest jails, the Centre will also send a fresh directive to states asking them to release on personal bond all undertrials who have completed half of the term under charges they have been slapped with.

These decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and attended, among others, by Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad, Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi and top Home and Law Ministry officials.

“It is a priority commitment of the Narendra Modi government that polity needs to be cleansed. The trial of those against whom criminal cases are pending needs to be expedited. If they are clean, they will be acquitted. If they are not, the law will take its own course,” Prasad told reporters after the meeting.

The government’s decision came after the apex court’s March 10 order that calls for completion of trials involving legislators within a year of framing of charges. Last month, it had asked the Centre to work out a comprehensive policy for speeding up the entire criminal justice delivery system to ensure good governance while disapproving a plea to fast track cases involving MPs alone.

During campaigning, Modi had promised that he would take steps to ensure that the cases against MPs and MLAs will be fast tracked.

Any sentence, which attracts punishment of two years and above, can lead to disqualification from Parliament or state legislature.

Prasad said the home minister will be writing to all chief ministers and he will be writing to all law ministers to ensure mandatory compliance of this provision. He said this would be a big step in cleansing the politics of the country.

The attorney general is likely to inform the apex court about the government decision to write to the states to expedite the cases involving lawmakers.

Prasad also said the government is taking steps to decongest jails by releasing undertrials awaiting completion of trials. He said there is a provision under law to help such people. “This is not only a human rights issue for those who are lodged behind bars, but also a matter of great concern for our judicial system,” he said.