Thiruvananthapuram: The Supreme Court had asked the high courts of Kerala and Bihar to complete the trial of pending criminal cases against MLAs and MPs in their respective states.

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The selected courts are required to submit a monthly report to the HC regarding cases in which charge sheets have not yet been filed, charges have not been framed with appropriate reasons and the progress of the trial.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Krishan Kaul and KM Joseph said the special courts would take up the life-term cases on priority while hearing pending matters against sitting and former legislators.

The court has also said the special courts would take up cases involving offences punishable with imprisonment for life or death penalty on priority.

In the state’s nine districts, there are 312 cases against people’s representatives.

The minister with the highest number of criminal cases against him is Devaswom Board minister Kadakampally Surendran with 24 cases.

Notable mentions in the MLA list are Antony John with 18 cases and CK Saseendran and AN Shamseer with 15 cases each registered against them.