Why in the news
Amicus curiae and senior advocate Vijay Hansaria placed before a Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan a report, compiled from High Courts, showing a surge in cases against parliamentarians.
Key facts
- Of 543 Lok Sabha MPs, 251 (46%) face criminal cases.
- 170 MPs face serious charges, punishable by 5 or more years in prison.
- 4,732 trials against sitting and former lawmakers are pending.
- Section 144 (prohibitory orders) violation cases: 863, led by Himachal Pradesh (307).
State-wise picture
| Higher share | MPs with cases |
|---|
| Kerala | 19 of 20 (95%), 11 serious |
| Telangana | 14 of 17 (82%) |
| Odisha | 16 of 21 (76%) |
| Jharkhand | 10 of 14 (71%) |
| Tamil Nadu | 26 of 39 (67%) |
- UP, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh: around half of MPs.
- Lower: Haryana and Chhattisgarh (1 each), Punjab (2 of 13), Assam (3 of 14), Delhi (3 of 7), Rajasthan (4 of 25), Gujarat (5 of 25), Madhya Pradesh (9 of 29).
Pending trials by state
| State | Cases |
|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 1,171 |
| Odisha | 457 |
| Bihar | 448 |
| Maharashtra | 442 |
Concerns
- Some cases are over two decades old; there are no courts dedicated to them.
- A 2023 SC order told High Courts to set up monitoring benches, yet many states have not complied.
- Delays stem from repeated adjournments, absent accused and overloaded courts.
Exam angle
- Amicus curiae: Vijay Hansaria.
- The bench sent the case to the CJI for a three-judge bench.