New Delhi: In the backdrop of the Supreme Court setting a deadline to complete trial in cases involving lawmakers, the Union law and justice ministry is understood to have written to the Chief Justices of all high courts asking them to expedite cases against sitting MLAs and MPs.
Sources stated that the move also comes against the backdrop of a directive of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cleanse politics from tainted lawmakers.
The decision to write to Chief Justices of all high courts was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh and attended by law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, top home and law ministry officials besides Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi which took place earlier this week.
“It is a priority commitment of the Narendra Modi government that polity needs to be cleansed,” Mr Prasad had said. Sources stated that the move can affect 61 MPs in both Houses of Parliament who face criminal charges. If convicted, they would be removed from their respective legislature.
