THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has constituted district-level coordination committees to expedite criminal cases pending against MLAs and MPs.
The decision was taken as per a directive of the centre in view of a Supreme Court order. DC earlier had reported the state government’s inaction over the centre’s directive.
Nearly half the number of MLAs in the state were having at least one criminal case pending against them, most of which pertained to agitations.
The home department had recently issued orders constituting district-level coordination committees to monitor cases against sitting MLAs and MPs.
The district sessions judges will head the committees and the public prosecutors will be the secretaries. The other members of the committee are district collectors in their capacity as district magistrates and district police chiefs or city police commissioners.
The Supreme Court directive on March 10 had prescribed a one year deadline for the trial of cases against MPs and MLAs. Subsequently, the centre directed all state governments in June to set up a fast-track system to expedite the cases against politicians.
It was one of the foremost initiatives of the Narendra Modi government. Though some states had swiftly initiated steps to set up special cells in the High Courts to expedite corruption cases, it took several months for Kerala to wake up.
According to the declarations given by the present MLAs during the election, about 65 were facing criminal cases. While around ten faced serious IPC charges, including attempt to murder, many cases pertained to political agitations.
