The Supreme Court on Thursday asked political parties to upload details of all pending criminal cases against their candidates on their websites. The apx court also asked parties to furnish the reasons why such candidates were chosen on their sites.
Noting that there had been an alarming increase in the number of politicians with criminal cases attached to their name, the top court also asked political parties to submit a compliance report in this regard to the Election Commission within 72 hours of selecting candidates having pending criminal cases against them.
It directed that the EC shall bring it to the notice of the apex court in case of failure of political parties to comply with its directions.
The court passed orders on a contempt plea which raised the issue of criminalisation of politics claiming that directions given by the apex court in its September 2018 verdict relating to disclosure of criminal antecedents by candidates are not being followed.
A bench headed by Justice F Nariman also directed that political parties will publish these details on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and in one local vernacular and one national newspaper.
(With inputs from agencies)
