The Supreme Court of India has directed the Centre to set up special Courts on the lines of Fast-Track Courts to take up and interrogate the pending and fresh criminal cases against lawmakers – both MLAs and MPs.

The apex Court’s verdict assumes significance in the backdrop of the long-pending demand from the people that politicians who are imprisoned in criminal cases should face a life-ban from contesting polls.  The all-important verdict was delivered yesterday by a Bench comprising Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Navin Sinha while taking up a public interest litigation (PIL) petition.

The petition asked the Supreme Court to stipulate some educational qualification to contest the polls besides fixing a maximum age limit.  It also sought life-ban on politicians who endure prison terms in criminal cases from contesting polls of any kind.  The Court had earlier sought Centre’s views on these points to which the Centre said that it was ‘considering’ the same.  Election Commission of India supported the move.

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, the Court posed many questions to the Centre.  Referring to 1581 pending cases against MPs/MLAs as on 31.12.2014, the ape Court asked the Centre to reveal how many of those cases have been disposed off since then.  It also directed the Centre to set up special Courts like Fast-Track Courts to take up pending/fresh cases against MPs and MLAs; it also instructed the Centre to respond with a detailed reply within six weeks.