The entry of criminals into politics, which started in the 1980s, has gradually taken a wider form. Many rules and regulations were made to prevent criminals from doing politics, but all remained ineffective. The latest figures of the Gujarat-Himachal elections are also testifying to this.
According to the ADR report, 40 out of 182 new MLAs in Gujarat have criminal cases against them. Of these, cases have been registered against 29 MLAs under serious charges. Talking about Himachal, there also 28 out of 68 MLAs are tainted. Cases have been registered against 12 MLAs under sections of serious crimes like murder and rape.
Then why is the talk of crime in politics rising?
1. The Law Ministry has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on 4th December. The ministry said – in any case, the guilty leaders cannot be banned from contesting elections for life. Petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay has demanded from the Supreme Court that convicted leaders should be barred from contesting elections for life. Maximum 93 tainted candidates were fielded in the elections. Out of these 43 cases were registered under serious sections. However, AAP did not get much benefit from this and the party won only 5 seats.
2 facts, which reveal the friendship between crime and politics…< /p>
- National Election Watch and ADR released the number of MPs with criminal antecedents after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. According to the report, the number of MPs with serious criminal cases has increased from 76 in 2009 to 159 in 2019.
- BJP has 64 out of 339, Congress 8 out of 97 and RJD 9 Serious criminal cases are registered against 6 Lok Sabha-Rajya Sabha MPs. Means tainted leaders are there in all parties.
Why entry of tainted in politics?
Money and networking are the biggest reasons for entry of tainted in politics . The amount of money required by candidates and parties to contest elections is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Also, due to crime in the area, the networking of criminals remains very strong.
For both these reasons, political parties give tickets to criminals. Many of these criminals win the elections and create the image of Robinhood. There were 9.3 per cent candidates with serious criminal antecedents in assembly elections across the country, which has increased to 14.5 per cent in 2018-22. From 2008 to 2022, the highest number of 34 percent tainted candidates contested in Kerala elections. This was followed by 32 percent tainted candidates in Bihar and 31 percent in Jharkhand.
Supreme Court gave 2 big decisions…
1. Cancellation of membership of convicted leaders- On September 4, 2013, the Supreme Court, while giving a historic verdict, said that the membership of leaders who have been sentenced for two years or more will be cancelled. Apart from cancellation of membership, tainted leaders will not be able to contest elections for 6 years. The court had further said in the judgment that while in jail, no leader would have the right to vote, nor would they be able to contest elections.
2. Why give tickets to tainted candidates by giving advertisements- The Supreme Court said in a decision in 2020 that political parties will have to tell why they gave tickets to tainted candidates and how many cases are registered against them. The court said- political parties should inform the public about the candidates with tainted image by giving advertisements in all mediums.
Two occasions, when the court-centered on the tainted
1. Year 2018. The Supreme Court asked the Central Government that how many MPs and MLAs are tainted in the country? How many special courts have been set up to hear their cases? Give information about it. The center did not submit the affidavit, on which the court and the center got stuck.
2. Chief Justice Deepak Mishra on the petition of not giving tickets to tainted leaders in 2018 The hearing was going on in the bench. The central government got angry on this. The then Attorney General KK Venugopal said that you should also do the work of Parliament. On this the Chief Justice said- We cannot sit idly by until you do.