Mumbai: Taking serious note of the slow pace in disposing of criminal cases involving elected representatives, the Bombay High Court has directed the HC registry and all subordinate courts to strictly implement a set of measures recommended by the state appointed committee. The court has sought a detailed compliance report by September 12.
The high court had taken suo motu cognisance of the issue after the Supreme Court in 2021 directed all high courts to examine the pendency and withdrawal of such cases and ensure their expeditious disposal.
499 Cases Pending Across Maharashtra, Goa & Dadra Nagar Haveli
There are 499 cases involving MPs/MLAs in the State of Maharashtra and Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli as of June 30. On June 13, the high court had asked the registry to file a consolidated report identifying the causes of delay in pending cases against MPs and MLAs.
Cases Stayed in HC to Be Given Top Priority
Accordingly, a report was submitted on July 31 that proposed a multi-pronged strategy to address delays. A key recommendation was to prioritise cases that are stayed in the high court. The committee suggested requesting the chief justice to direct all concerned courts to give “top priority to these cases” in order to minimize pendency.
District Judges to Track Progress & Submit Monthly Data
Further, the committee recommended all principal district judges to gather fortnightly updates on MP/MLA cases and submit compiled data to the registry every month. Judges handling these matters must also record reasons for any delay, which must be personally noted by the principal district judges.
Guardian Judges to Oversee Court-Wide Monitoring
The committee emphasised involving guardian judges, of every district, for more effective oversight.
Regarding procedural delays—such as cases awaiting summons, notices, or muddemal (case property) — principal district judges must coordinate with trial courts, identify bottlenecks, and fix timelines.
Police Officials May Be Summoned for Lapses in Summons or Warrants
In case of failure to execute summons or warrants, courts should summon police officials and, if necessary, seek explanations, the Committee suggested.
The court directed both the registry and trial courts to implement all recommendations in letter and spirit, and to submit a compliance report before the next hearing.
