Friday, Dec 13, 2002
Friday, Dec 13, 2002 |
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By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI DEC. 12. The Lok Sabha today passed by a voice vote a Bill amending The Representation of the People Act. The Bill debars people convicted for heinous crimes from contesting elections for six years after completion of the sentence. Replying to the debate on the Bill, the Union law Minister, K. Jana Kishnamurthi, said there was an anomaly at present that enabled convicts sentenced to long jail terms to contest while in prison, as the ban was only for six years. Significantly, those convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act would also be brought under the ambit of the Bill. Even if a person was punished or sentenced for only two years, he would be barred for six years. The Bill received support from members cutting across party lines, with almost all parties expressing grave concern at the rising criminalisation of politics. While the members lent their support to the Bill, they also cautioned against misuse of such laws. Initiating the discussion, Nachiappan (Cong.) referred to the arrests of Vaiko and the DMK chief, M. Karunanidhi, and urged the Government to ensure that the law was not misused to settle political scores. Dasmunshi (Cong.) decried the tendency of the Courts to make ``uncalled for'' interventions in the name of judicial intervention, while K. Malaisamy (AIADMK) sought comprehensive electoral reforms to curb criminalisation of politics. Supporting the Bill, the Samajwadi Party chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, put the onus of checking the entry of criminals on political parties. Somnath Chatterjee (CPI-M) said the Government was trying to tackle the situation in a piecemeal manner and a comprehensive legislation should have been brought. Mr. Chatterjee said it was a paradox that people serving long jail terms were winning with bigger margins. G.M. Banatwalla (IUML) said a mere legislation would not check criminalisation of politics. It required political will.
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