The Delhi High Court has directed special courts to accord priority to criminal cases against former and sitting Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs). The court also appointed senior advocate Sandeep Sethi as amicus curiae to assist the court in dealing with matters of such nature.
The High Court was hearing a suo motu petition registered subsequent to the Supreme Court order directing that cases against legislators be handled by special courts. The top court’s order came in a PIL filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla considered a status report filed in March 2020 by the Registrar General of the High Court which stated that four cases involving former and sitting MPs and MLAs were disposed of by special judges, while one case was disposed of by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM).
Noting that the dates given in some of the cases pending before it are too far, the bench directed special courts and the ACMMs to give priority to such cases and also asked that the pending cases be listed before it on Wednesday.
The bench further said directed the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) and Standing Counsel (Criminal), of the Delhi government to be present on the dates of hearing so that directions issued by it are promptly executed by the authorities.
The bench also directed the Registrar General of the High Court to file a monthly status report detailing the number of cases pending against the MLAs and MPs before various courts including the High Court.