States Can't Withdraw Criminal Cases Against Legislators: Supreme Court

The special courts judges, hearing cases against the MPs and MLAs, will not be transferred until further orders, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, said.

The state governments cannot withdraw pending criminal cases against MPs and MLAs without the approval of the high courts, the Supreme Court said today, adding that a special bench will soon be constituted to monitor the progress of such cases against the legislators. The special courts judges, hearing cases against the MPs and MLAs, will not be transferred until further orders, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana, said. Justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant are other members on the bench. It directed the Registrar Generals of all the high courts to provide information, in a particular format, about the cases decided by special courts against the lawmakers. It has also sought the details of pending cases and their stages before the trial courts. The top court was hearing a PIL from 2016 filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay on fast-tracking of criminal trials against lawmakers. The plea also sought a life ban on convicted politicians from contesting polls.