De-Criminalisation Of Politics : Supreme Court seeks concrete steps

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that some concrete steps should be taken to keep criminal elements out of politics. A bench, headed by Justice R.F. Nariman and comprising Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, expressed concern on the issue of criminalisation of politics, and suggested measures to decriminalise it.

In September 2018, a five-judge Constitution Bench had unanimously held that all candidates have to declare the criminal cases pending against them to the Election Commission before contesting election.

The top court said the political party would be obligated to put up this information on its website.

And, the candidate as well as the political party concerned shall issue a declaration and ensure its wider publicity through various mediums of the media.