New Delhi, Aug 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court Wednesday directed the Registrar Generals of all high courts to provide information about availability of video-conferencing facility in special trial courts, prosecuting lawmakers in criminal cases, across the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of the submissions of senior advocate and amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria that it should consider adding one more aspect in its August 10 order related to the availability of video-conferencing facilities in special courts across the nation.

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The bench, also comprising justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant, on Tuesday had directed the Registrar Generals of the high courts to provide the information in a particular format giving names of judges of special courts, place and date of posting, number of cases disposed during current posting, number of pending cases and their stage.

“On a mention being made by Vijay Hansaria, amicus curiae, we direct that the table mentioned at page No.10 of the order dated 10.08.2021 by which the Registrar Generals of all the High Courts are directed to furnish the information be read as under...,” the bench said in its order and sought the additional details as to “whether video conferencing facility is available in courts.“

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After perusing the report of amicus curiae Hansaria, who is assisted by lawyer Sneha Kalita , the top court had issued a slew of directions including clipping of the powers of state prosecutors and ordered that they cannot withdraw prosecution against the lawmakers under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) without prior sanction from high courts.

In another important direction, it had ordered that judges of special courts hearing cases against the MPs and MLAs will not be transferred until further orders to ensure expeditious disposal of pending cases.

Expressing strong displeasure over the non-filing of status reports as per the directions given in an earlier order, the bench had said it was granting last opportunity to the Centre and its agencies to follow its orders and posted the matter for further hearing on August 25.

The bench was hearing a PIL of 2016 filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay on fast-tracking of criminal trials against MP and MLAs besides seeking a life ban on convicted politicians from contesting polls.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)