Guilty lawmakers should be brought to trial fast

The Supreme Court should seriously warn and direct the trial courts to try criminal cases including economic offences involving legislators on a day to day basis within a stipulated period .This is in furtherance of its own order ending the practice of allowing MLAs and MPs found guilty of heinous crimes to continue as members of the legislatures concerned till their appeals are heard and decided.

The old practice allowed them to remain as honourable legislators almost till their terms were over .It made a farce of the legislative process and caused damage even to India's image abroad. Earlier commissions and committees like the one headed by NNVohra had studied the problem of criminalisationof politics but nothing tangible was done .

Political parties could have solved the problem by denying tickers to criminals but they could not summon up courage to do so. The voters as majority are enticed by promises of freebies offered and elect criminal background persons as their antecedents have nothing to do with them .Moreover, some parties were led by economic offenders and they are the chief ministers of states. Parliament and state assemblies lose their dignity when persons convicted for their involvement in criminal activities play a role in law making, it's a mockery of democracy. Their place is in jails and not legislatures. No laxity in law will be shown to such people's representatives.

The Supreme Court must ensure that it's order is implemented in both letter and spirit by the trial courts. The persons enjoying enormous clout particularly in their own area should not be allowed to have any bearing on the hearing on such cases . While it is fair that the legislators are not allowed to take advantage of the delays in the hearing of cases,the apex court must also live up to the need to expedite hearing of cases and reduce the number of long pending cases and free the legislatures from the grip of criminals. The present dynamic SupremeCourt Chief Justice NVRamana can do something positive to crack this vital issue and carve a niche for himself before his term is over.

Rama KrishnaM, Kakinada