Nainital: The Uttarakhand high court has directed the state government to furnish details about the criminal cases registered against the MPs and MLAs.
Court took suo moto cognizance of the criminal cases registered against the MPs and MLAs of the state and directed the government to provide information on the registered and pending cases to the court by March 3. The state has a total of 70 MLAs and 8 MPs.
A division bench comprising of acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice NS Dhanik heard the matter through video conferencing on Thursday. The court has asked the state government how many MPs and MLAs have criminal cases registered against them and how many are still pending in the courts.
Court has further directed the state government to furnish the same to the court. In the suo-moto petition Secretary Home, Secretary Law and Justice, Secretary Finance, Secretary Women and Child Welfare, DGP have been made parties.
The division bench has asked the government what steps it has taken so far for the protection of witnesses. The court further directed the state to clarify the situation in this matter.
The High Court has ordered the Uttarakhand government under the order of the Supreme Court, following the Supreme Court order.
The Supreme Court in 2018 directed all states to set up premises for recording statements of witnesses in all courts and provide them security by the end of 2019. But it is not being implemented effectively by the state governments.
The Supreme Court had said that in many serious cases, witnesses have not been provided by the states and they are refusing to testify due to government security.