New Delhi: Amid controversy over efforts by the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw cases against those accused in a blast case, the Centre Monday said there is no proposal to frame guidelines for withdrawal of cases from courts, as it is not "desirable".
"There is no proposal pending consideration with the government to frame guidelines for withdrawal of cases from courts, as it is not considered desirable," Law Minister Ashwani Kumar informed Rajya Sabha in a written reply.
He said the field relating to withdrawal of cases from the courts - if such a situation arises - is occupied by the statutory provisions in section 321 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and order XXIII of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908.
The Akhilesh Yadav government has been reprimanded by the Allahabad High Court for trying to withdraw cases against terrorists involved in the March 2006 Sankatmochan temple blasts in Varanasi.
The bench of Justices RK Agarwal and RSR Maurya pulled up the government for working towards the release of the accused currently in jail and asked if this would not encourage terrorism.
The bench was hearing a public interest litigation challenging the Akhilesh Yadav government`s decision to seek a review of charges against Waliullah and Shameem.
The two are suspects in the blast at Sankatmochan temple - one of the several landmarks targeted in the serial explosions at Varanasi.
The state government had issued a notification on October 31, seeking withdrawal of cases against those accused in the blasts.
PTI
