New Delhi, June 20 (IANS): A thinktank, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to keep his promise of making parliament taint free, and see that pending cases against lawmakers and legislators are disposed of soon.
Quoting Modi's speech in the Rajya Sabha where he committed to making parliament taint free, ADR founder member Jagdeep Chhokar said: "The prime minister should also write to the Chief Justice of India to ensure all pending cases for MPs (members of parliament) are disposed of within an year's time".
"The Supreme Court judgment of 10th March directed all trial courts to expedite and conclude cases against MPs and MLAs (legislators) within one year from the date of framing of charges. However, nothing much has happened so far," Chhokar said, addressing a press conference.
"The prime minister should write to the Chief Justice of India to ensure the pending cases against MPs are disposed of as soon as possible."
"The government should bring a resolution in both houses of parliament, committing to make parliament taint free. I hope the resolution will be unanimously adopted," he added.
Modi, replying to the debate on the President's address in the Rajya Sabha, said: "We need to make both houses taint free. Some members have FIRs against them. The judicial mechanism should execute their cases faster and the judgments can come within one year."
The prime minister promised making parliament taint free in his pre-election speeches as well.
ADR analysed the affidavits of 541 newly-elected members of parliament, of whom 53 have declared criminal cases where charges have been framed.
The highest number of criminal cases are pending against Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, who has 13 cases registered against him.
The Bharatiya Janata Party with largest number of MPs also has largest number of 24 MPs with criminal cases against them.