Gauhati High Court pulls up state government over delays in criminal cases against MPs and MLAs

The Gauhati High Court has directed the Public Prosecutor to submit a comprehensive roadmap for expediting such cases. The court has set August 20, 2025, as the deadline for the submission of the state's action plan.

The directive comes amid increasing concerns about the slow pace of justice in politically sensitive cases. According to judicial sources, numerous cases against Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) continue to languish across courts in Assam, with Dibrugarh and Nagaon emerging as districts with the highest number of pending matters.

During the latest hearing, the High Court also instructed the state government to clarify its strategy for the swift disposal of cases being tried in special CBI courts, which often involve serious and high-profile allegations. Despite their gravity, many of these cases have shown little to no progress over the years.

In a related development, the court issued specific directions to the Registrar to gather and report detailed updates on two long-pending criminal cases in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Nagaon. Both cases involve either sitting or former legislators and have remained unresolved for an extended period.

This judicial intervention aligns with a broader mandate issued by the Supreme Court of India, which has urged all High Courts to closely monitor and expedite trials involving elected representatives. The move is part of a national effort to curb the criminalisation of politics and to reinforce public trust in the legal system.