New Delhi, November 4
Expressing concern over the criminal background of a large number of MPs and MLAs, the Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Centre and all the state governments, seeking their response to a PIL that seeks completion of trial of such elected representatives within six months.

During a brief hearing, a Bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Justice Chelameswar described as “very disturbing” the petitioners’ claim that as many as 163 of the 545 MPs of the present Lok Sabha were facing criminal cases.

Directing the governments to file their response within four weeks, the Bench also wanted to know as to why the Fast Track Courts (FTCs) were not giving priority to such cases.

Senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the petitioners, said an annual allocation of Rs 75 crore had been made for FTCs, but still, they were not functional in several states.

The PIL has been filed jointly by former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) JM Lyngdoh, former DGPs BR Lall (Haryana) and Julio F Ribeiro (Punjab), ex-Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy and seven others who have come together under the India Rejuvenation Initiative, a social forum, to stem the deterioration in moral and ethical values in public life.

The forum was instrumental in removal of PJ Thomas as the CVC and filing of a case against those responsible for alleged payment of bribe to MPs for supporting the July 2008 confidence vote in the Lok Sabha.