Karnataka HC directs registration of suo motu PIL for expeditious disposal of pending criminal cases against MPs, MLAs

The Karnataka High Court today directed the Registrar General of the Court to register a suo motu petition, in view of the directions issued by the Supreme Court urging Chief Justices of the High Courts to formulate an action plan to expeditiously deal with pending cases against legislators..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi further directed the Registry to add the Central and state governments as parties to the matter..As directed by the the Apex Court, the Court went on to direct Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi (or any Additional Advocate General nominated by him) to represent the state government. Senior Advocate Aditya Sondhi has been appointed as Amicus Curiae to assist the Court. .SC asks High Court Chief Justices to prepare Action Plan for expeditious disposal of pending cases against legislators [Read Order].On September 17, the Apex Court had directed the Chief Justices of all High Courts to prepare an action plan in order to expeditiously deal with pending cases against Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)..The Court informed that the action plan should include the following details, among others:.Total number of pending cases in each district and the required number of proportionate Special Courts.Number of Courts that are currently available along with the number of judges and the subject categories of the cases. Tenure of the judges to be designated.Number of cases to be assigned to each judge and the expected time for disposal of the cases.Distance of the Courts to be designated and the adequacy of infrastructure. Chief Justice should designate a Special Bench, comprising themselves and their designate, in order to monitor the progress of these trials.Chief Justice to give their comments on the other suggestions of the amicus curiae for the purpose of expedient disposal of pending criminal cases against legislators. Additional suggestions, if any, may also be sent to the Supreme Court.The action plan, with the comments and suggestions of the Chief Justices of the High Courts, is to be sent to the Secretary-General of the Supreme Court, preferably within a week. The High Court Chief Justices to list all pending criminal cases involving sitting/former legislators (MPs and MLAs), particularly those wherein a stay has been granted, before an appropriate bench(es) comprising of the Chief Justice and/or their designates..While passing the order, the Bench also remarked that special consideration is being given to this issue in view of the "rising wave of criminalization that was occurring in the politics of the country" and given the "power that elected representatives (sitting or former) wield, to influence or hamper effective prosecution.".The matter has been posted to September 23 for orders.