Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has written to Chief Justices of all High Courts to monitor cases against any sitting MP and MLA against whom charges have been framed for the offences specified in Section 8 of the Representation of People Act, 1951.
Pointing to the recent direction of the Supreme Court that trials in respect of sitting MPs and MLAs should be concluded speedily and in no case later than one year from the date of framing of charges, Mr. Prasad urged Chief Justices to evolve a suitable mechanism to monitor such cases so that the directions of the Supreme Court are complied with by the trial courts in letter and spirit.
“The Supreme Court had also directed that if for some extraordinary circumstances the concerned court is not able to conclude the trial within one year, it would submit a report to the Chief Justice of the respective High Court indicating reasons for the delay. In such a situation, the Chief Justice may issue direction to the concerned court extending the time for the trial,” the Minister said in the letter.
