NEW DELHI: In a critical response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion for fast-tracking trials in criminal cases against MPs, the Supreme Court on Friday said good governance needed an efficient criminal justice delivery system and not picking up one category of cases for speedy trial.A bench of Chief Justice R M Lodha and Justices Kurian Joseph and R F Nariman told attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, "Now there is a demand from the Union government to fast-track trials pending against MPs. It cannot happen piecemeal. If fast-tracking of trials against MPs is needed, it is equally true for cases involving women and senior citizens. You need a comprehensive plan."For good governance, it is necessary that courts are strengthened and criminal justice system is fast-tracked. It is high time the Union government takes all possible steps in consultation with states to fast-track criminal justice system so that justice is delivered expeditiously."The CJI added, "As head of the judiciary, I feel fast-tracking criminal justice system needs urgent attention. When criminal cases keep pending for 10 years, it is not a good sign for a democracy."The court told Rohatgi that as attorney general, he had a greater role to play and asked him to come up with suggestions in four weeks on how to speed up trials, set up additional courts and infrastructure after consulting state governments and other concrete measures on fast-tracking the criminal justice system as a whole.Speaking for the bench, the CJI said, "Manpower is limited in subordinate courts. The infrastructure is inadequate. Fast-tracking one category of cases would mean other categories suffer. What is direly needed is fast-tracking the entire criminal justice system, not one category or the other."Justice Lodha said as CJI, he had his limitations and could not set up additional courts with manpower and infrastructure, which were completely in the hands of the government.The bench referred to few special courts already set up in Delhi — for 2G scam, coal scam and earlier in Nirbhaya gang rape-cum-murder case — and said every time a special court was set up, manpower was drawn from the limited number of judges. This in turn affected the speed of trial in other cases, it said."Setting up of additional courts cannot be just a symbolic gesture. There has to be a substantial and methodical approach. You (government) cannot have old mindset and an old burdened justice delivery system yet expect faster results. We have to fast-track the entire system," the CJI said.Rohatgi said fast-tracking of criminal cases in appellate courts (high courts and SC) should also be taken into account. But the court said, "First, we must start from trial stage. A large majority of cases attain finality at the trial stage. If you fast-track the system at trial stage, then a major part of the problem will be taken care of."By the end of last year, around 1.80 crore criminal cases were pending in trial courts despite the disposal rate exceeding the filing of new cases. The largest number of criminal cases were pending in Uttar Pradesh (44 lakh), followed by West Bengal (21 lakh), Maharashtra (19 lakh), Gujarat (15 lakh), Bihar (14 lakh) and Rajasthan (10 lakh).This order came in a case relating to release of Pakistani prisoners languishing in jails even after completing their sentence. On a PIL filed by Panthers’ Party chief Bhim Singh, the court said it had from time to time directed the Centre to release those who had served out their prison terms.On Friday, the SC found that its November 2008 direction to complete trial of all Pakistani prisoners within a year had not been implemented. This triggered the discussion, reference to Modi’s request for fast-tracking of trial against MPs and passing of order for speeding up the entire criminal justice system.