1,765 MPs and MLAs across the country are facing 3,000 criminal cases in various Courts, the Centre has informed the Supreme Court.

In the year 2014, Delhi-based advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay had earlier filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking a permanent ban on politicians facing criminal charges. The apex Court, while taking up the petition, had directed the Centre to set up special Courts to interrogate cases against lawmakers.

An NGO said that as per the situation prevailing post the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, 1,581 cases were pending against lawmakers in various States. Based on this finding, the Centre accorded permission to set up 12 special Courts for which Rs.7.80 crores was also allotted. Respective High Courts even issued formal announcements about the proposed Courts which are likely to commence operations very soon.

Delhi would have 2 special Courts while Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal would have a special Court each.

India’s most populous State Uttar Pradesh ranks first with 248 lawmakers facing 539 criminal cases and is followed closely by Tamil Nadu (178/324), Bihar (144/306), West Bengal (139/303), Andhra Pradesh (132/140), Kerala (114/306), Delhi (84/118) and Karnataka (82/137).