more-in A special court to try the criminal cases relating to elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) was inaugurated on the Chennai Collectorate campus here by Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh of the Madras High Court on Thursday. The setting up of the special court followed an order of the Supreme Court in December last while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition. The special court, located on the first floor of the Singaravelar Maaligai in the Collectorate building, will hear about 320 criminal cases pending in various courts against over 170 MPs and MLAs. District judge J. Shanthi will hear the cases listed before the court. The court has been set up with State and Central government funds. The Union Ministry of Justice had recently sanctioned ?14 lakh for setting up the court. 12 special courts A total of 12 special courts to hear cases relating to MLAs and MPs are to be set up across the country in the first phase. During the hearing of the PIL petition in December, the Centre had stated that 1,233 cases had been transferred, 136 disposed of and 1,097 were pending in the special courts in the States where they had been set up.

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