The consent of the court is required to withdraw the cases against MLAs and MPs

New Delhi / Correspondent

The government will not be able to withdraw the cases filed against MPs and MLAs. The Supreme Court has ruled that consent from the High Court is required. The court also said that special judges dealing with criminal cases against MLAs and MPs in special courts should remain in office till further orders.

The court passed the order during the hearing of a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking speeding up of pending cases against MLAs and MPs and setting up of a special court for the same.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Sunil Sajan welcomed the decision. Especially in Uttar Pradesh, the government has become a self-proclaimed court. He also criticized the people holding such constitutional posts as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for taking the decision to withdraw their cases on their own. He also demanded that the withdrawn cases against MLAs and MPs be resumed.

The 3,000 cases filed against Samajwadi Party leaders and activists while Mayawati was in power were withdrawn in 2012 after the Akhilesh Yadav government came to power. The present Yogi Adityanath government has also withdrawn the cases against Minister Suresh Rana and MLA Sangeet Som, who were charged with inciting riots in Muzaffarnagar.