New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India asked the government as to how many special courts it has constituted to exclusively hear and decide cases against politicians. A bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked the government lawyer that the court wants to know whether the special courts were headed by a magistrate or a sessions judge. Also, information regarding the territorial jurisdiction of such courts needs to be disclosed.

Justice Gogoi’s court had on December 14 ordered setting up of 12 special courts to deal with cases involving politicians and had given March 1, 2018 deadline.

A break-up of cases pending before these courts has to be furnished as per the court’s order. The judges even want to know if government intends to set-up more such courts. Centre has time till August 28 to file its response.

On behalf of the Delhi High Court, advocate ADN Rao submitted that two special courts — one sessions and one magisterial — have already been set up. But, the bench asked the Registrar General of the HC to file an affidavit indicating further details in this regard, including the number of cases transferred to these two special courts.

The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya who has asked for a life ban on convicted politicians. Upadhyay told the bench that the Centre had filed an affidavit in the matter but he had not received copy of it. The government document was filed in March this year.

While referring to the Centre’s affidavit, the court observed that it contained “incomplete information” as the government has said they was compiling the information received from the states.