HC SEEKS REPORT ON CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST UP POLITICOS
The Allahabad high court has asked the state government to provide status report with regard to criminal cases pending against the Members of Parliament (MPs) from UP, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) in the state. The court has fixed August 4 as the next date of hearing. The order was passed by bench comprising justice Arun Tandon and justice Sunita Agarwal on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ashutosh Gupta, an advocate.
The Allahabad high court has asked the state government to provide status report with regard to criminal cases pending against the Members of Parliament (MPs) from UP, Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) in the state. The court has fixed August 4 as the next date of hearing.
The order was passed by bench comprising justice Arun Tandon and justice Sunita Agarwal on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ashutosh Gupta, an advocate. In the PIL, it was alleged that in UP criminal cases were pending against 36 MPs, 182 MLAs and 22 MLCs out of which many cases were of serious nature.
The petitioner’s contention was that many candidates having criminal background had entered into politics taking advantage of pendency of investigation and trial. Therefore, it was necessary to expedite cases against politicians to clean the political system.
It was further alleged by the petitioner that the Supreme Court had directed criminal cases pending against MPs, MLAs, and MLCs be decided expeditiously within one year. However, not much had been done to implement this order in UP and there was a need to create a mechanism, which would ensure that cases against politicians are fast tracked.
In the PIL it was prayed that in the light of the Apex Court’s directive, criminal cases pending against MPs, MLAs and MLCs may be decided expeditiously.
The Court thus asked the UP government to provide number and status of cases against MPs, MLAs and MLCs through an affidavit.