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Criminals as Lawmakers: Special courts to try criminal cases pending against MPs, MLAs

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9 years ago

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Criminals as Lawmakers: Special courts to try criminal cases pending against MPs, MLAs

In a case seeking ban on law breakers becoming law makers, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Dec 12, that it will set up twelve special courts to speed up disposal of criminal cases pending against MPs and MLAs in the country.

However, the government, which is opposed to a lifetime ban on convicted persons becoming MLAs or MPs, in its affidavit to the Supreme Court, put the number of cases pending against lawmakers as 1,581 – which does not match the numbers mentioned in the petition before the court. This was the number of MPs and MLAs against whom criminal cases were pending, according to the petition. With several of them involved in multiple cases, the number of cases, as per the petition being heard by the Supreme Court, was over 13,500.

In a two-page affidavit, additional secretary in Ministry of Law and Justice Reeta Vasishta told the SC that the scheme envisages the constitution of the courts for a period of one year. The courts will try the cases against the law makers mentioned by candidates in their poll affidavits in 2014 when elections were held to Lok Sabha and eight state assemblies, said the affidavit.

Vasishta added that the ministry of finance has approved Rs 7.8 crore for the special courts.

While the government’s affidavit in the Supreme Court put the number of cases at 1,581 which 12 fast track courts would dispose of with ease within a year, the number of criminal cases is more than 13,680 as of 2014 and 1,581 is the number of MPs and MLAs facing prosecution, as per the petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay. Several tainted lawmakers face multiple cases. Upadhyay said “we need 100 special courts, not 12 courts.”

“The figure of 1,581 cases has been obtained from an NGO. However, the data as to in which courts the said cases are pending is not available with the NGO. Since the details as to in which courts the cases are pending is not available, it is difficult to gather facts and figures for answering the query of the court (on number of cases filed against lawmakers after 2014). The government has initiated action by seeking to collect the requisite details from the respective state governments,” the Centre said in its affidavit.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha is hearing a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking a lifetime ban on convicted persons from legislatures and Parliament. At present, a lawmaker guilty of a criminal offence punishable by two years or more in jail immediately loses the membership of Parliament or state assemblies. Under the court’s 2013 judgment, a convicted politician is also barred from contesting elections for six years from the date the sentence ends.

On November 1 this year the SC had directed the government to come up with scheme to set up special courts for speedy trial of lawmakers facing criminal charges. It is hearing a private litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyaya seeking a life-time bar on contesting elections for convicted politicians.

The suggestion for a central scheme was made after Election Commission of India (ECI) backed it and said it would go a long way in cleansing Indian politics. The government was reminded of an earlier top court order that fixed a time limit of one year for the trial courts to dispose of cases against politicians.

The Centre in its affidavit said that under the scheme, two courts would exclusively hear 184 cases pending against Lok Sabha members. Bihar would have just one court to deal with 141 cases involving MLAs as will Maharashtra to try 160 cases against its legislators.

There would be one special court in Uttar Pradesh to decide 160 such criminal cases. Similarly, one in West Bengal, where 107 MLAs are facing cases, one in Kerala that has 87 cases pending against MLAs and one in Telangana, with 67 cases awaiting final decisions, would be set-up.

Twenty-one states, including Gujarat (54 cases), Jharkhand (52 cases) and Orissa (52), will not have such courts. There will not be any special judicial forum to hear the cases of 44 Rajya Sabha MPs and the government affidavit is silent on which court will hear them.

During the November 1 hearing, the court had asked the Centre to apprise it on how many of the “1,581 criminal cases” pending against MPs and MLAs, “as declared at the time of filing of nomination papers for the 2014 elections”, were disposed of within a year as directed, how many had ended in acquittal or conviction, and whether any further criminal case had been filed against an MP or MLA after 2014.

Responding to this, the affidavit said: “There is no agency within the government collecting such data. Though the Centre had written to the Election Commission on this, the poll body also expressed its inability to provide the data.”

The EC had told the Centre, said that the figure in the petition was apparently taken by the petitioner from a report compiled by the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The EC subsequently contacted the NGO, which said “the present figure is 1,571 not 1,581” and “this may be due to death/ resignation/ vacant seats etc.”

The ADR did not have information regarding the courts these cases were pending in, said the government. The Centre has contacted the states and written to their chief secretaries, secretaries of state legislatures and secretary general of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the information. The government is also in touch with the various high courts, in case the data is available with them, said the affidavit.

The apex court will consider the government’s proposal when it hears the matter on December 14.

The government, which has already opposed the life ban as demanded by the petitioner, said the recommendations of the poll panel and the law commission were under “active consideration”, said media reports.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

6 hours ago

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September 6, 2026

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

21 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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PM Modi returns to SRCC after 13 years, revisits 2013 glass full speech

PM Narendra Modi returned to SRCC after 13 years for its centenary celebrations, revisiting themes from his landmark 2013 address.

Published

21 hours ago

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September 5, 2026

By

PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi University’s Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) on Saturday, 13 years after his previous visit to the institution as Gujarat chief minister. 

His latest visit came as SRCC marked its centenary celebrations. Modi’s 2013 address at the college had attracted significant attention as he spoke about India’s youth, governance and the country’s demographic potential.

In 2013, Modi was Gujarat chief minister and had not yet been named the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. He returned to the same campus this year as Prime Minister, having completed 12 years as Prime Minister and serving his third consecutive term. 

What PM Modi said at SRCC in 2013

The 2013 lecture was titled Emerging Business Models in the Global Scenario. The address also covered governance and India’s young population.

He described India’s youth as a source of national strength rather than simply a group of new-age voters. He also highlighted India’s demographic advantage and argued that the country needed to make better use of its young population.

One of the notable moments from the speech involved a glass of water.  Modi contrasted the conventional descriptions of a glass as half full or half empty and said he viewed it as full, with half containing water and the other half air.

The speech also included his remarks on technology and young Indians. Referring to an anecdote from a visit to Taiwan, Modi used the phrase “mouse-charmers” to describe Indians using computers and suggested that young Indians had the ability to influence the world through technology.

‘Minimum government, maximum governance’

Modi’s 2013 address also touched on governance. He spoke about the role of government and the need for better governance.

He also spoke about India’s potential in the 21st century. 

Modi returns as PM for SRCC centenary

The September 5 visit coincided with Teachers’ Day and SRCC’s 100th anniversary. The Prime Minister’s Office had announced that Modi would participate in the college’s centenary celebrations and address the gathering. SRCC was established in 1926 by industrialist and philanthropist Sir Shri Ram.

Earlier this year, Modi also met the SRCC governing body at his residence in April in connection with the college’s centenary celebrations and released a commemorative postage stamp marking the occasion. 

The return to SRCC came 13 years after his 2013 appearance at the college, when he addressed students as Gujarat chief minister.

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