People with criminal record should not be given ticket: Election Commission's letter to the Supreme

(PTI) New Delhi, Ta. January 24, 2020, Friday

The Election Commission had today told the Supreme Court that his order of 2018 to publicize the criminal record of all candidates in the media could not stop the criminalization of politics and the Commission said that political parties themselves should not stand such offenders.

Despite the order of the Supreme Court of the country in 2018, the criminalization of Rajkaran is to be issued and any alternative must be explored, ”the bench said. The criminalization of politics can be stopped.

He asked BJP leader and advocate-applicant Ashwani Upadhyay and the Election Commission to sit down and make suggestions that would prevent criminalization of politics.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, who is present in the court on behalf of the Election Commission, said that the Commission had taken a number of steps to stop the criminalization of politics. The Supreme Court's ruling in 2018 also did not succeed.

He insisted that a politician with a criminal history should not be liable to the parties for not becoming a party candidate.

"Looking at the current situation and the picture of Parliament, we can imagine that no law would be in place to stop the criminalization of politics. Besides, those who have been charged with serious crimes will not be disqualified, it is believed.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, who is present on behalf of Upadhyay, said that at present 46 per cent of the MPs have a criminal history and in this case, no law can be enacted in this regard.

In response, the bench asked the vice-president and the Election Commission to make concrete suggestions to stop the criminalization of politics. 'This should be done in the public interest as soon as possible. Also, it should not be taken as a protest petition.

The two of you sit down and give concrete suggestions on how to prevent criminalization of politics, "the bench said. The central government had rejected the petition filed by Upadhyaya, rejecting the petition and said that on September 25, the apex court did not give any specific order to enact the law.

The apex court's reply was sought in March last year against the central government and the Election Commission for violating the court order, which the Commission did not enforce on the apex court verdict to declare all the candidates their criminal history before contesting the elections.