SC pulls up Centre for lack of details on MPs, MLAs with criminal records

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the Central Government for not furnishing the details legislators and lawmakers who have criminal records against them.

Earlier, a petition had been moved in the top court seeking direction to establish special courts to fast-track the criminal cases registered against MPs and MLAs. 

The top court had asked the Centre to file its detailed response by September 5, the day of next hearing.

The Supreme Court in November last year had directed the government to come up with a scheme to set up 12 special courts to try 1,581 criminal cases pending against MPs and MLAs. 

An Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) report had claimed that around 35 per cent Indian chief ministers have criminal cases against them and 81 percent of the total are crorepatis.

Another report by the association claimed, that as many as 1024 incumbent MPs and MLAs in India are facing charges of criminal offence, of whom 64 have been named in kidnapping cases. 

The 64 MPs and MLAs who are facing kidnapping charges, 16 are from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Following the BJP are the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal with six leaders from each party facing kidnapping charges.

"Out of 1,580 (33 per cent) MPs/MLAs analysed with declared criminal cases, 48 have declared cases related to crime against women," said the report.