No sanctions to prosecute CMs, MPs, MLAs: SC

New Delhi, Dec 6: In a significant judgement, the Supreme Courttoday ruled that there was no requirement of prior sanction forprosecution of public servants, including chief ministers andministers, in corruption cases.

The apex court's verdict has comes as a blow to seniorpoliticians, including Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his wife RabriDevi, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former KeralaChief Minister K Karunakaran, current Chief Minister Chief Minister V SAchutanandan and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal,who had filed petitions in the court.

Dimissing the petitions, a Bench comprising Justices ArijitPasayat and S H Kapadia, in a concurring judgement, found as totally''untenable'' the plea of the petitioners that their trials under thePrevention of Corruption Act were vitiated for want of proper sanction.

The court held that ''acts of ommissions and commission committedduring porported exercise of discharge of official duty under thecollar of office cannot form part of bonafide discharge of officialduty by a public servant.''

UNI