New Delhi: The Supreme Court has referred to the Chief Justice pleas raising the question as to when lawmakers facing criminal trial would stand disqualified for setting up a constitution bench, saying such issues needed to be decided by larger benches.

A three-bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the petitions be sent to Chief Justice T S Thakur for constituting a five-judge bench to deal with the matter.

The court said the larger bench would deal with the question as to when can a legislator be disqualified. “Can a legislator facing criminal trial be disqualified at conviction or at the framing of charges in the case?” the bench asked. The court was hearing a petition filed by NGO Public Interest Foundation on the issue. BJP leader and advocate Ashwani Kumar Updhaya has also filed a plea seeking a direction to the the Centre and others “to bring in electoral reform and to make rules… and Code of Conduct for de-criminalization and de-communalization of politics and for eradication of corruption, casteism and nepotism from electoral system.” Earlier, the apex court had set a deadline of one year for lower courts to complete trial in criminal cases involving sitting MPs and MLAs. It had also said that all such proceedings involving lawmakers must be conducted on a day-to-day basis. In order to expedite proceedings against lawmakers who continue to enjoy membership of a legislative body during the pendency of case, the court had also said that lower courts will have to give explanation to the Chief Justice of the respective high court if the trial is not completed within a year. The Law Commisison had recommended that such trials be concluded in one year. “We direct in cases of sitting MPs and MLAs who have been charged for offences under Sections 8(1), 8(2), 8(3)of Representation of People Act, the trial is to be conducted as expeditiously as possible but not later than one year from the date of framing of charges,” it had said. — PTI