The Delhi High Court passed a slew of directions for expeditious disposal of criminal cases pending against the Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Mini Pushkarna ordered the designated court hearing those cases to list them against MPs and MLAs at least once a week. The High Court also ordered the courts not to grant any adjournment unless extremely necessary.
The Delhi High Court noted that whenever the cross-examination of a witness stretches beyond a given day, the matter as far as possible be listed on a day-to-day basis till the evidence of such witness is concluded.
The Division Bench further ordered that in case any revision petitions regarding such matters are pending before the designated Session Court, every effort should be made to dispose of them within six months. It added that cases in which orders of stay of trial have been passed and are continuing for a period of more than six months, are directed to be disposed of expeditiously by the concerned Benches of this Court.
The Court also said that the Registrar General should file a status report of the said cases before the next date of hearing. It also directed the Registrar (Information Technology) to ascertain that an independent tab is created on the HIgh Court’s website providing information about the details of numbers of cases pending against the MP and MLA, the year of filing, stage of proceedings and other relevant details.
The Bench added that the Principal District and Sessions Judge, cum-Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI), Rouse Avenue Court Complex (designated MP/MLA court) shall ensure almost equal pendency of such cases in the designated Courts, at the same level, adding that they shall also ensure sufficient technological infrastructure is available to enable the designated Courts to adopt such technology as is expedient for effective and efficient functioning and file a report in this respect.
The Division Bench passed these directions while dealing with a suo motu case initiated in the year 2020 for expeditious disposal of cases against the MPs and MLAs as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The High Court also ordered the Principal District and Sessions Judge, cum-Special Judge (PC Act) (CBI), Rouse Avenue Court Complex to continue to obtain monthly progress reports from the designated Courts and send the consolidated report to the High Court.
The Court directed that the monthly reports shall also include a short summary of the work done in the said cases, during the month, the action plan formulated and the steps taken for expeditious disposal of the said case as well as the specific reasons causing delay in disposal of the said cases. It said that this matter shall be listed before the High Court every two months.