HC asks Uttarakhand govt to provide list of criminal cases against MLAs/MPs

Nainital, Feb 18: The Uttarakhand government has been asked by the Nainital High Court to provide the list of criminal cases pending against the members of parliament and the legislative assembly.

Taking cognizance of cases pending before various courts in the country in which criminal cases against law makers had been withdrawn by state governments, a division bench of the High Court comprising acting chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice NS Dhanik asked the state government to provide by March 3 a list of criminal cases pending against MLAs and MPs.

In August 2021, the Supreme Court had directed all the high courts to fast-track hearing of criminal cases pending against the MLAs and MPs of each state.

The top court had expressed its concern over state governments misusing IPC section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) by taking back these pending cases.

The SC had further said that without the permission of the High Court, state government should not take back or finish off such cases.

It had also directed that a special court be assigned the job of fast tracking the hearings of such matters. The next hearing of the matter will take place on March 3. PTI