Kerala High Court Flags Discrepancy In Police Data On Pending MP/MLA Cases, Unexecuted Summons & Warrants
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (23 July) flagged inconsistencies in official data relating to pending criminal cases against sitting and former Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), directing corrective measures and greater diligence from the State Police Chief.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was...
The Kerala High Court on Thursday (23 July) flagged inconsistencies in official data relating to pending criminal cases against sitting and former Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), directing corrective measures and greater diligence from the State Police Chief.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was considering a suo motu petition registered in 2021 complying with the directions of the Supreme Court in Ashwini Kumar Upadyay v. Union of India [W.P.(C) No. 699 of 2016] so as to monitor the progress of pending criminal cases against sitting/former MPs and MLAs.
The Court had earlier directed the State Police Chief to submit a report disclosing the steps taken towards the execution of pending processes against the MPs/ MLAs. Pursuant to this, a report had been submitted.
The Bench noted a substantial mismatch between figures submitted by the High Court Administration and the State Police Chief. According to the High Court Administration's report, 555 criminal cases were pending against sitting and former MPs and MLAs as of June 30, 2026, whereas the State Police Chief's report, based on data as of June 4, 2026, reflected only 256 pending cases.
The court also examined reports from the district judiciary highlighting delays in the execution of court processes. It recorded that 12 cases pending for more than five years and 31 cases older than two years continue to await execution of summons or warrants. The Bench noted that these details had already been shared with the State Police Chief by the Registrar General.
The court directed the Registrar (District Judiciary) to forward the list of pending cases along with the compliance report dated July 21, 2026, to the Special Government Pleader. The objective, the Bench said, is to ensure that the State Police Chief exercises greater diligence while filing future status reports relating to criminal cases against legislators.
The Court also considered a report filed by the Assistant Inspector General of Police on July 22, 2026, which indicated that a significant number of warrants remain unexecuted in cases registered within Thiruvananthapuram City. Taking note of the issue, the court directed the Assistant Inspector General of Police to submit a comprehensive report after considering the compliance report filed by the Registrar (District Judiciary).
The matter is posted on 13 August for further consideration.
Case Title: Suo Motu v State of Kerala and Anr.
Case No: OP(Crl.) 448/ 221
Counsel for Respondents: P. Narayanan (Addl. PP)