UP plans courts where only netas, babus will be tried

At a time when corruption scandals appear to embroil the UPA government with clockwork regularity, Uttar Pradesh government plans, for the first time in India, to set up 22 courts exclusively for trying corruption cases against politicians and babus.

At a time when corruption scandals appear to embroil the UPA government with clockwork regularity, Uttar Pradesh government plans, for the first time in India, to set up 22 courts exclusively for trying corruption cases against politicians and babus.

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These courts will come up in five major districts of the state and hold exclusive trials in the corruption cases involving politicians, gazetted officers, senior police and other government officials.

Judges of additional district and sessions judge or special judge rank would preside over these courts, a letter issued by Allahabad high court joint registrar (services) on May 24 reads.

The letter has asked district judges and officers on special duty (OSD) of Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Meerut and Bareilly, where these courts are planned, to submit within six weeks details about the required infrastructure and manpower.

Nine of the courts, the highest number, will be set up in Lucknow, followed by Gorakhpur with five and Varanasi four. Meerut and Bareilly would have two courts each.

The government also plans to set up courts of additional chief judicial magistrate and additional civil judge (senior division) in Lakhimpur Kheri and that of a civil judge (junior division) in Lakhimpur Kheri, Allahabad, Budaun and Etah.