BJP, Cong declare criminal records of candidates
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 04 2022:
Following the directives of the Supreme Court of India and Election Commission of India, political parties, which are fielding candidates for the state assembly elections, have started publishing details of criminal records of their respective candidates.
As per guideline issued by ECI, the political parties fielding candidates in the state assembly election shall publish criminal records of their candidates in local dailies, local TV channels and national papers.
After declaring names of candidates for all the 60 assembly constituencies on January 30, BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda shared a post on her social media account a list of BJP candidates with criminal records, The list include Lourembam Rameshwar of Keirao AC, Th Shyamkumar of Andro, Okram Henry of Wangkhei, T Robindro of Thanga, Dinganglung Gangmei (Dipu) of Nungba, V Hangkhanlian of Churachandpur, O Lukhoi of Wangoi, Karam Shyam of Langthabal, Yamthong Haokip of Saikul, Y Nabachandra of Wangkhem and Jyotin Waikhom of Thangmeiband assembly constituencies.
The main opposition party Indian National Congress had also declared names of 54 candidates in three phases.
As per informal tion published by the party, its candidates K Ningthemjao of Andro, Gaikhangam of Nungba, K Meghachandra of Wangkhem, Salam Joy of Wangoi, Dr Kh Ratankumar of Mayang Imphal, Achoibam Deben of Lamlai, Ak Mirabai of Patsoi, Th Lokeswar of Khundrakpam, Okram Ibobi of Thoubal, Th Tony of Keirao and SurjaKumar Okram of Khangabok assembly constituencies have criminal records.
Other political parties like NPP, JD-U among others have also almost completed declaration of candidate lists and sources closed to those parties said that they are preparing to publish the information within short notice.
Altogether 38 assembly constituencies will go on poll in the first phase on February 27 and the remaining 22 seats in the second phase on March 3 .
Counting will start on March 10.Mention may be made that the Supreme Court, in its order dated February 13, 2020, made it mandatory for political parties to disclose the list of candidates with criminal antecedents along with the reasons for their selection within 48 hours of fielding them or two weeks prior to the date of Ming nomination.
While the 2020 order allows the poll body to file a contempt petition before the top court, it does not provide deregistration of political parties.
Advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay in a recent petition filed to the top court, referred to the SC order and said that in case of non-compliance of the order, the EC should have the power to de-notify the political party concerned.
"Permitting criminals to become legislator interferes with the purity and integrity of the electoral process; violates the right to choose freely the candidate and therefore, the freedom of expression of the voter under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution, amounts to a subversion of democracy, which is part of the basic structure; and, finally, is antithetical to the rule of law which is at the core of Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution," the petitioner said.
Accepting the PIL, the apex court's bench of chief justice NV Ramana, justice SS Bopana and justice Hima Kohli directed the ECI to take up stringent measures to enforce the guideline.