SC asks HCs to give action plan for speeding up trials in cases against MPs, MLAs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked all the High Courts across the country to send an action plan for expediting the trial in pending cases against sitting and former MPs and MLAs.

A bench presided over by Justice N V Ramana said the High Courts should send recommendations along with the action plan, so that the court may issue necessary directions.

The court noted that some of the High Courts earlier favoured for establishing video conferencing facilities.

The bench expressed concern over the Kerala High Court stating that “police personnel are reluctant to arrest and produce the accused legislators”.

"We have also been told that police sometimes do not enforce the summons because of pressure from legislators. This is a serious matter," the bench said.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, acting as amicus curiae, read out portion of his status report, stating only one special court in Bengaluru and West Bengal's 24 North Paraganas was not sufficient.

The bench then said some of the cases were already at the end of the trial so it might not be feasible to transfer them to some other courts.

In a report filed in a pending PIL by BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, Hansaria, along with advocate Sneha Kalita said that the total number of cases have risen to 4,859 as latest information, whereas, as per earlier reports filed in March 2020, the cases were 4,442. The report suggested for taking steps for establishment of ‘safe and secure witness examination room’, video conferencing facility for each court, and creating a special website to show status of cases, among others.

The court had earlier on September 17 asked Chief Justices of all High Court to decide within two months all those cases where stay has been granted in trial against sitting and former MPs and MLAs.