MP/MLA Courts Shall Grant Adjournment Only In Exceptional Cases, Record Reasons In Writing: Punjab & Haryana High Court
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed all special MP/MLA Courts, trying criminal cases against sitting or erstwhile legislators, to scrupulously comply with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in the case of Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India & Anr. This also includes the direction that no adjournment shall be granted except in exceptional circumstances and...
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed all special MP/MLA Courts, trying criminal cases against sitting or erstwhile legislators, to scrupulously comply with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in the case of Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay v. Union of India & Anr.
This also includes the direction that no adjournment shall be granted except in exceptional circumstances and that too for reasons to be recorded.
"Needless to observe that all the courts in the three states shall comply with the directions," a Division Bench of Justices Rajan Gupta and Karamjit Singh observed while hearing the suo motu case for monitoring the progress of cases of MPs/MLAs pending in the States of Punjab, Haryana and UT, Chandigarh.
On the previous date, the High Court had granted 10-days deadline to the Centre, State of Punjab, and Punjab Police to file their affidavits furnishing details of cases involving sitting and erstwhile parliamentarians and legislators of Punjab.
Today, it was informed that about 163 cases are pending against MPs/MLAs in the State of Punjab.
21 cases are under trial in the State of Haryana, including 8 against Ex-MLAs of Haryana and 2 against Ex-MLAs of Himachal Pradesh. 15 out of 21 criminal cases are pending before Trial Courts, whereas, 6 cases are pending before Appellate/Revisional courts. Further, 3 cases registered in the State of Haryana had been transferred to CBI, Chandigarh for investigation.
So far as UT of Chandigarh is concerned, 7 cases are pending which are under investigation. No case is pending trial at the moment.
The matter has now been adjourned to May 27, awaiting reply of Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain, regarding cases pending investigation with the Enforcement Directorate.
Case Title: Court on its own motion v. State of Punjab & Ors.
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