Supreme Court (SC) refuses Sanjay Dutt to fight election.Will this decriminalise politics?
Sanjay Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act and sentenced to six-year imprisonment by a TADA court. the actor is on bail over a weapons conviction,.he had been campaigning to represent the city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh state on behalf of the socialist Samajwadi Party.
The court rejected Dutt's plea, saying it would set the wrong precedent to allow him to run in the April 16 - May 13 elections.He was found guilty in 2007 of possessing illegal weapons that he bought from men accused of plotting the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which more than 250 people died.
Uttar Pradesh is regarded as crucial in the elections as it is India's most populous state and sends 80 MPs to the 545-member national parliament.
The desision has once again sent a great message during the time of election where criminalisation has become a worrisome characteristic of India's politics and electoral system.
The court rejected Dutt's plea, saying it would set the wrong precedent to allow him to run in the April 16 - May 13 elections.He was found guilty in 2007 of possessing illegal weapons that he bought from men accused of plotting the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts in which more than 250 people died.
Uttar Pradesh is regarded as crucial in the elections as it is India's most populous state and sends 80 MPs to the 545-member national parliament.
The desision has once again sent a great message during the time of election where criminalisation has become a worrisome characteristic of India's politics and electoral system.
To combat criminalisation, we need the strengthening of existing laws by removing certain lacunae.
Section 8 of the RPA, for instance, disqualifies a person from contesting elections if he or she has been convicted in the manner specified in sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of the Act.
- Under Sections 8(2) and (3), a convicted person is disqualified for the period of imprisonment and six years thereafter.
- Under Section 8(1), the disqualification is only for a period of six years from the date of conviction, whatever the term of imprisonment.
- Section 8(4) exempts sitting members of Parliament and the State legislatures from disqualification following conviction under any of the preceding three sub-sections if they have filed an appeal against their conviction within three months of the judgment.
The exemption will be in force until the court disposes of the appeal.
And most often criminals do win, which is why they are increasingly present in the country’s representative institutions. The consequences of the trend, if allowed to continue unchecked, hardly deserve an elaboration and are seen in the increasing criminalisation of the process of governance with ministers, legislators, bureaucrats and unscrupulous businessmen combining to plunder public funds and prey on the public.
In fact a new dimension has been added to the process by the Criminalisation of bureaucracy and the police. What makes the situation particularly dangerous is that a criminalized administration poses a serious threat to the country’s security. What we say in the past was a result of all this nonsense.
De-Criminalisation of politics should be the main issue in all elections in the country. While political parties have a serious responsibility not to put up criminals as candidates, voters have an equally strong responsibility of defeating candidates with a criminal record.
The election is at our doorway and the time is now to choose what kind of governance we want for us. One-way is to let things happen the way it is and mourn. There is a second way and that is by ensuring that we do our best to make sure that criminals are voted out.
We have also to see that we do not vote on the basis of caste religion but on the personal merit of the candidate. We have been voting on the basis of cate creed etc. for quite a long time and it has bred only misrule. It is hightime that we set right our blunders if not for us then at least for the sake of our children. Narrow gains are not going to get us anywhere. Even the leaders of various parties will have to realise that criminals will one day snatch power from them.
And most often criminals do win, which is why they are increasingly present in the country’s representative institutions. The consequences of the trend, if allowed to continue unchecked, hardly deserve an elaboration and are seen in the increasing criminalisation of the process of governance with ministers, legislators, bureaucrats and unscrupulous businessmen combining to plunder public funds and prey on the public.
In fact a new dimension has been added to the process by the Criminalisation of bureaucracy and the police. What makes the situation particularly dangerous is that a criminalized administration poses a serious threat to the country’s security. What we say in the past was a result of all this nonsense.
De-Criminalisation of politics should be the main issue in all elections in the country. While political parties have a serious responsibility not to put up criminals as candidates, voters have an equally strong responsibility of defeating candidates with a criminal record.
The election is at our doorway and the time is now to choose what kind of governance we want for us. One-way is to let things happen the way it is and mourn. There is a second way and that is by ensuring that we do our best to make sure that criminals are voted out.
We have also to see that we do not vote on the basis of caste religion but on the personal merit of the candidate. We have been voting on the basis of cate creed etc. for quite a long time and it has bred only misrule. It is hightime that we set right our blunders if not for us then at least for the sake of our children. Narrow gains are not going to get us anywhere. Even the leaders of various parties will have to realise that criminals will one day snatch power from them.
Ruling with the help of ciminals and goondas can not last and examples are not needed to prove it. The sooner it is understood the better it will be but for the general citizens of India we must do our part. We want strong government NOT KHICHRI GOVERNMENT.
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