Parl. panel seeks public opinion on bill disqualifying criminals

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) In view of the Election Commission pressing for stringent legislation banning criminals from entering electoral fray, a Parliamentary Panel has sought public opinion before finalising a bill on electoral reforms so as to prevent increasing ''criminalisation of politics''.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice today held a meeting to discuss 'electoral reforms' and the Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2006 and also sought the peoples view as well as that of stakeholders, including political parties and judiciary, on these bills.

The panel, headed by Rajya Sabha MP E M Sudarsana Natchiappan, deliberated on the Election Commission's proposal seeking Amendment in the Representation of People Act, 1951 so as to disqualify persons from contesting elections on framing of certain charges against them by a competent court for offences punishable by imprisonment of five years or more.

It also discussed the Law Commission of India's recommendation as contained in the 170th Report on 'Reform of the Electoral Laws' for insertion of a new section 8B in the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 to bar people indulging in election offences, drug trafficking, unlawful acts and those with offences punishable for life imprisonment and death penalty from contesting elections.

Under the present law, a person is disqualified only after being convicted while the Election Commission is pressing for disqualifying a person after chargesheet is filed and cognizance of crime taken by the trial court by filing of charges which is a very priliminary stage, Mr Natchiappan told reporters here.

He said that since the amendment was very crucial, the Parliamentary panel wanted the widest public debate on the issue by initiating consultation with political parties, state governemnts intelligentia, media and people at large. He said the panel had already held discussion with many political parties in West Bengal and written letters eliciting opinions of registered national and regional parties. He said that the report would be submitted by the end of February or first week of March.

''Since neither the prosecution process nor the judicial machanism is fool-proof we want to be cautious before making any recommendation on this issue,'' he said.

Asked whether the bill would cleanse the political system from criminal elements, Mr Natchiappan said it was definitely one step forward in the cleaning the system. He said efforts were on to ensure that known criminals like Abu Salem were debarred from contesting elections but at the same time it should not expose people to criminal complaints being filed in view of political vendetta.

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