Set up 22 special CBI courts within two months: Supreme Court to Centre

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today expressed its displeasure over the Centre's failure to set up adequate special CBI courts for trying corruption cases involving high profile politicians and public servants despite its repeated orders.

The court directed the Centre to set up 22 special CBI courts within two months with adequate infrastructure across the country while making it clear that it was not satisfied with the reasons and explanations given by the authorities concerned.

"We have been passing orders since 2011... But every time you come out with reasons and explanations. If you wish, you can do it within an hour," a bench comprising justices G S Singhvi and Fakkir Kalifulla observed.

"We asked you to take steps to make special courts operational," the bench said, referring to its January 27, 2011 order.

The bench said the court had taken cognisance of the letter written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the chief ministers in July 2009 for creation of additional special courts but it has not yielded results.

The government in 2009 had decided to set up 71 additional special courts, exclusively for trial of CBI cases in various states.

"Under such circumstances, we deem it fit to direct the government of India to set up 22 special courts with adequate infrastructure and manpower with corresponding public prosecutors within eight weeks," the bench said in its order.