Supreme court can’t Disqualify criminals?

Time has come for parliament to keep criminals away by bringing law, the Supreme Court said today on petitions asking that lawmakers facing criminal charges be barred from contesting elections or be disqualified after conviction.

“We are not in a position to add disqualification of candidates on filing of chargesheet in criminal cases,” Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said, reading out the order.

The court said while the Election Commission cannot deny anyone a symbol, contesting candidates must declare pending criminal cases before their parties, which must be put up on websites and given wide publicity. “Such candidates should give in bold letters details of pending criminal cases to the Election Commission,” the court said.