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SC to rule on barring accused in heinous crimes from polls
Why it is in news?
- A five-judge Constitution Bench is scheduled to pronounce its judgment on petitions to bar politicians facing charges of heinous crimes, such as murder, rape and kidnapping, from contesting elections.
ROPA
- Under the Representation of the People Act, convicted lawmakers are disqualified, but not those facing charges.
- The Bench had made it clear that the Supreme Court could not legislate for Parliament.
- The court declares the law, the Parliament makes the law,
- The Chief Justice had voiced the Supreme Court’s anguish at the helplessness of society to prevent criminalisation of politics at the very entry-point itself.
- The CJI had pointed out that Parliament was obliged under Article 102 (1) (e) to make a law.
- As conscience-keepers of the Constitution, we [Supreme Court] can ask you [Parliament] to do it.
- Attorney-General K.K. Venugopal had submitted that fast-track courts to try cases against politicians was “the only solution.”
Source
The Hindu