51 sitting, 35 former MP-MLAs in northeast facing court cases

GUWAHATI: As many as 51 sitting and 35 former MPs and MLAs of the northeastern states are accused persons in 67 cases pending in different courts in the region. Among them, the cases against 11 sitting and nine former elected representatives relate to offences punishable with life imprisonment.
These figures have been submitted to Supreme Court on Tuesday by amicus curie and senior advocate Vijay Hansaria and his assistant Sneha Kalita in connection with a PIL of 2016 by one Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay seeking speedy disposal of criminal cases against the elected representatives to the Parliament and the state legislatures including former MPs and MLAs.The case will be heard by the supreme court on Thursday.
The amicus curie adds that the reports submitted by all high courts show that there are total number of 4,442 cases pending, out of which in 2,556 cases, sitting legislators are accused persons. Trial in 352 cases are held up due to stay granted by higher courts.
The report says that in Assam, there are 35 cases pending, out of which in 25 cases, sitting legislators are accused while 12 cases relate to offences punishable with imprisonment for life, out of which eight are against sitting legislators.
Similarly in Manipur, there are 15 cases out of which in 10 cases sitting legislators are accused while in Mizoram there are four cases against three sitting legislators, out of which two are punishable with life imprisonment and two other with imprisonment of 10 years and these cases are of 2009, 2010 and 2014 and are at the stage of prosecution evidence.
In Arunachal Pradesh, there are 17 cases pending against six sitting and 11 former MLAs out of which one sitting MLAs is connected to offences punishable with life imprisonment.
In Tripura, there are 10 cases pending against one sitting MP and six sitting MLAs and one former MP and two former MLAs. One former MLA is accused in offences punishable with life imprisonment.
The amicus curie has suggested that special courts in every district may be set up for expeditious trial of cases where MPs and MLAs are accused. It has also been submitted that the special courts will give priority to the trial of cases relating to offences punishable with death or life imprisonment followed by offences punishable with imprisonment for seven years or more and then other offences. Cases involving sitting legislators to be given priority over former legislators, the amicus curie has suggested.