A Bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Jasti Chelameswar issued notices to the Central and state governments directing them to file their response within one month.

The Bench said the issue required consideration after petition claimed that out of 162 MPs, as many as 76 were facing serious charges relating to murder, robbery etc.

PIL by Lyngdoh

The public interest ligation filed by former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh sought direction to fast track courts cases pending against those tainted MPs for quick disposal.
“Elections are won and lost on swings of just one per cent of the vote. So parties cynically woo every possible vote bank, including those headed by robbers and murderers.

Legal delays ensure that the accused will die of old age before being convicted, so parties virtuously insist that these people must be regarded as innocent till proved guilty,” the petition said. Among the petitioners are eminent citizens and retired IAS and IPS officers like Julio F Ribeiro, Prakash Singh and former chief of air staff S Krishnaswamy.

They had earlier also filed public interest ligations relating to the appointment of P J Thomas as chief vigilance commissioner, seeking direction for probe into cases like black money and cash-for-vote scams.

“Parliament and state legislatures are currently occupied by a significant number of persons who are either undergoing trial in cases involving charges of commission of serious criminal offences or facing allegations of commission of similar criminal offences.

“And such persons contaminate the socio-political fabric of India whereby the constituents of life and personal liberty of citizens suffer serious damage and lead to a serious weakening of the entire system which is already in evidence, and has been for some time,” the petition filed quoted as saying.

Referred reports

The petition referred to various reports emphasising the need to weed out criminal elements from the political system.