Enact ‘Strong Law' To Cleanse Politics: SC

OnusonParliamenttobarpersonsfacingchargesfrompolls

- Krishnadas Rajagopal

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed political parties to publish online the pending criminal cases of their candidates and urged Parliament to bring a “strong law” to cleanse political parties of leaders facing trial for serious crimes.

Rapid criminalisation of politics cannot be arrested by merely disqualifying tainted legislators but should begin by “cleansing” political parties, a five-­judge Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, observed.

‘Deny nomination’

The court said Parliament should frame a law that makes it obligatory for political parties to remove leaders charged with “heinous and grievous” crimes, such as rape, murder and kidnapping, to name only a few, and refuse ticket to offenders in both parliamentary and Assembly polls.

“The nation eagerly awaits such legislation,” the court told Parliament.

The Bench, also comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar, Rohinton Nariman, D.Y. Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra, however, made it clear that the court cannot legislate for Parliament by introducing disqualification to ban candidates facing trial for heinous crimes from contesting elections.

The 100-­page judgment, written by Chief Justice Misra, who has just days left for his retirement on October 2, issued a slew of directions.