Centre tells Supreme Court it will set up 12 special courts to speed up cases against lawmakers
They will be set up over the next year at a cost of Rs 7.8 crore, the Law Ministry said in its affidavit.
The government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court it will set up 12 special courts in a year to try criminal cases against MPs and MLAs, The Indian Express reported.
In the affidavit submitted by the Law Ministry, the Centre said the special courts will be set up at a cost of Rs 7.8 crore.
#BREAKING - Government is ready to set up special courts for speedy trial of MPs and MLAs. The govt filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying that it will set up 12 special court in one year. pic.twitter.com/aB1nEXO3OW
— News18 (@CNNnews18) December 12, 2017
In November, the Supreme Court had given the government six weeks to submit a plan to set up these special courts. The bench had then said trials of MPs and MLAs should be completed in a year.
The court is also hearing petitions seeking to declare certain provisions of the Representation of the People Act ultra vires, meaning beyond the state’s power. These provisions bar politicians sentenced to a jail term of two years or more from contesting elections for six years from the date of their release from prison. The petitioners argue that they should be barred from contesting elections for life.
