Home, law Ministries to work together on blueprint to deal with trials
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked the Home and law Ministries to look into ways of speeding up cases against Parliamentarians who are facing trials and investigations.The law ministry and the Home Ministry will work in coordination to prepare a blueprint to deal with cases that have been lodged against MPs.
During his election campaign, Modi had repeatedly stressed on speeding up investigation and trial against people’s representatives. Sources said the Government is aiming for ensuring an all party consensus on the issue. The Government wants that cases against politicians should not drag on beyond a certain stipulated time and that the dilatory tactics of seeking bail and adjournments are blocked.
The Centre is expected to file a response in regard to fast-tracking cases against important public functionaries in the Supreme Court before August 7. On that day, the Court will take up the PIl filed by lawyer VK Ohri, along with responses filed by State Governments and a report of the law Commission supporting the petitioner.
Appearing in the case last week, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar informed the apex court that the Centre wished to file its response in the matter pending since 2004.
Interestingly, the Centre had not once responded to the petition in the past decade. The PIl sought guidelines to fast-track trials against politicians and influential public functionaries. The law Commission in its report of March 2012 suggested measures for bother police and courts to achieve this end.The affirmative backing of the law Commission led the Court to demand responses from states on November 12, 2013. The Commission highlighted the fact that pendency defeats administration of criminal justice as politicians and VIPs wield influence over police and witnesses.
The PIl came to be filed highlighting one such case relating to former Union Minister Shibu Soren. He was booked for inciting a mob in 1975 that led to 11 people being lynched in Chirudih in Jharkhand. The charge sheet was filed in 1982 and after a 16-year trial, Soren was acquitted in 2008 as witnesses had died during pendency of trial.