Ensure speedy disposal of criminal cases against sitting, ex-MPs, MLAs: Allahabad HC

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

The Allahabad high court has directed the presiding officers of MP/MLA courts across Uttar Pradesh to ensure expeditious disposal of all pending trials against former and sitting MPs and MLAs, which are more than 20-years-old.

The HC directed its office to compile the data received from different courts and place it before it in form of a tabular chart. (For Representation)

Accordingly, the court has directed its office to file status report in this connection before the high court by the next date i.e. December 10, 2024. Hearing a PIL petition, 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 it in 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 the court, a status report was submitted by the high court office showing details of the cases which were either more than 30-years-old or 20-years-old separately.

The court found that there were nine cases, which were more than 30-years-old, in different district MP/MLA courts. Additional advocate general Manish Goyal and government advocate AK Sand said that as per direction of the high court, the case of ex-MLA Brijesh Singh has been transferred from Ghazipur to Lucknow.

In this backdrop, the court in its order dated October 24, 2024, directed the registrar (listing) to ensure early listing of the writ petition related to Brijesh Singh before the appropriate bench of 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 MPs and MLAs.

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.