Dispose pending cases against MPs, MLAs, high court issues directions to courts
Rajesh Pandey
The Allahabad High Court has directed the presiding officers of MP-MLA courts across the state to ensure expeditious disposal of all pending trials against former and sitting MP-MLAs, who are more than 20 years old. Accordingly, the court has directed the office to file a status report in this connection before the high court by the next date i.e. December 10, 2024.
Hearing a PIL, a division bench comprising Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Samit Gopal directed the high court office to compile the data received from different courts and place it before this court in the form of a tabular chart. The court directed to list this case on December 10, 2024, for the next hearing.
During the hearing, in compliance with the previous order of this court, a status report was submitted by the high court office with the details of the cases which are more than 30 years and 20 years.
The court found that there are nine cases in different district courts of MP-MLA, which are more than 30 years old.
The court also took notice that criminal misc case no- 11 of 2013 (state Vs Brijesh Singh) pending in Ghazipur is lying stayed in pursuance of an order dated August 3, 2011, in criminal misc. Writ no- 15151 of 2011.
The additional advocate general, Manish Goyal, and government advocate AK Sand informed that as per the direction of the high court, the case of ex-MLA Brijesh Singh has been transferred from Ghazipur to Lucknow.
Against this backdrop, the court in its order dated October 24 directed the registrar (listing) to ensure the early listing of the writ petition relating to Brijesh Singh before the appropriate bench of the high court after obtaining orders from the chief justice, if needed on the administrative side.
The present petition in public interest was registered by the high court in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court dated November 9, 2023, in writ petition (C) no- 699 of 2016 (Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay vs. Union of India and another) for registering a suo motu case with the title “In Re: Designated Courts for MPs/MLAs” to monitor early disposal of criminal cases pending against the Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
Henceforth, the high court is regularly monitoring the progress of criminal cases pending against former and present MPs and MLAs at MP-MLA courts throughout the state. The high court has accordingly sought status reports of such cases from MP-MLA courts at all district courts in the state from time to time.
