JP Welcomes SC's Decision On Convicted Politicians

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has welcomed the Supreme Court verdict holding Section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) ultra vires.

The provision protects convicted lawmakers against disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal against their conviction in higher courts.

In a media statement, Dr. JP said that the Supreme Court, in its landmark judgment, has struck a blow for equality before the law by treating ordinary citizens and legislators alike.

?This is a small but significant victory for the Lok Satta which has focused its attention on criminals in politics since 1999," JP said.

Dr. JP said that the real challenge, however, is two-fold. Politicians with a record of crime continue to function as legislators since conviction by lower courts takes an interminably long time.

For instance, the assassins of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi were not convicted even after a decade after the assassination had occured. Technically, the assassins could have contested elections and continued as legislators.

JP stressed that dispensation of justice by trial courts has to be speeded up if such anomalies were not to recur.

"Alternatively, people against whom charges have been filed in a court of law, accusing them of serious crimes should be disqualified from contesting elections until the cases against them have been disposed of," said JP. (INN)