SC Said Nothing Has Happened To Stop Criminalization Of Politics
SC said nothing has happened to stop the criminalization of politics.
Nothing has happened or will happen to stop the criminalization of politics; Supreme Court disappointed on the advice of the parties
The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed deep disappointment over the non-fulfillment of its directions to check criminalization of politics.
Supreme Court said nothing has happened till now and will never happen in the matter. The court even said that now we too have to raise our hands.
Verdict reserved on a petition seeking contempt proceedings.
The court has reserved its verdict on a petition seeking contempt proceedings against the BJP and other political parties, including Congress.
A bench headed by Justice RF Nariman, while hearing the matter, had directed that the political party shall Publish criminal records within 48 hours of selecting its candidate in an election.
SC said nothing has happened to stop the criminalization of politics: Court guidelines were not followed.
Advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the Election Commission, gave details of how the guidelines of the court were not followed.
He said that the filing of nominations in the first phase for Bihar elections started on October 1, 2020, and political parties mostly decided their candidates too late.
Thus, the candidates filed nominations at the very last minute and thus the direction of the court was not even followed that the candidates should be selected two weeks before the nomination.
Political parties fielded 469 candidates against whom criminal cases were registered. Meanwhile, the bench observed that nothing has happened, nor ever will be done to make politics clean.
Let the Supreme Court intervene in the legislature’s domain to set things right.
Following the remarks, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Nationalist Congress Party, appealed to the bench to intervene in the legislature’s domain to set things right.
Sibal referred to the Article and said that political parties are not caring about the Election Commission and its guidelines.
Apex court disappointed at the negligence of the parties in compliance with the guidelines
When guidelines are issued, parties and candidates do not follow them, he said. The parties which are openly disobeying these guidelines should face the consequences.
The bench said- we are not interfering in the work of the legislature.
To this the bench said, how will we implement it. A five-judge constitution bench says we cannot do this. Will try to implement this not mean that we are interfering in the work of the legislature?
Need to move slowly to put pressure on political parties
On behalf of the Election Commission, Harish Salve said, there is a need to move slowly to put pressure on the political parties.
Right now the winning candidate is the only criterion for the parties and this disease dominates all the political parties.
Heavy fines should be imposed on political parties.
The court was also advised to impose heavy fines on political parties and the Election Commission to create a fund so that citizens could be made aware of their electoral rights.
