HC starts process to monitor trials against MPs, MLAs

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has initiated the process of monitoring of trials against MPs and MLAs in the two states and Chandigarh. The high court bench of justice Rajan Gupta and justice Karamjit Singh, while taking up a suo motu petition registered after the apex court order, appointed senior advocate Rupinder Khosla as amicus curiae to assist the court and posted the matter for February 25. During the hearing before the Supreme Court, it had come to light that 35 criminal cases are pending against Punjab legislators, including 21 cases against sitting MPs or MLAs. In Haryana, 42 lawmakers are facing criminal cases, including 11 sitting and 31 former MPs and MLAs.

The oldest case in Punjab, dating back to 1983, was reported to be in Tarn Taran against former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Khem Karan, Virsa Singh Valtoha. The case was about the murder of a doctor Sudarshan Kumar Trehan of Patti in his clinic. A trial court last year framed charges against Valtoha for murder and house trespass. Across the country, 4,442 cases are pending against sitting and former MPs and MLAs in courts. Of these, 2,556 cases are against sitting legislators, proceedings before the apex court reveal.

Shocked over the pendency, the Supreme Court in a public interest litigation, last year, had ordered monitoring by high courts by way of instituting suo motu pleas and institution of special courts for trials.

HCs would monitor the progress in these suo motu pleas. It was also directed that HC would hear the case at least once in three months and a senior police officer of at least IG rank would remain present to assist the court.