Supreme Court Dismisses PIL Seeking Details Of Candidates With Criminal Background On Websites Of Political Parties

The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission to ensure that all political parties publish details regarding criminal cases of candidates along with the reason for their selection on the home page of their official websites.

A Bench of Justice S K Kaul and Justice Abhay S Oka asked the petitioner to approach the Election Commission with his plea.

"This is not a walk-in place. We feel that this petition is misconceived. What is being sought is implementation of the previous judgement of this court. It is for the petitioner to approach the Election Commission. Plea is dismissed," the Bench said.

Besides the website, the petition filed by Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay also sought a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that every politician publishes the details in electronic, print, and social media, and to file a contempt case against the president of the party which violates such directions.

The plea claimed that the petition was filed after Samajwadi Party, which is a registered and recognised political party, fielded alleged gangster Nahid Hasan from Kairana assembly in Uttar Pradesh but neither published his criminal records in electronic, print, or social media nor the reason for his selection.

The petitioner also seeks direction to the Election Commission of India to de-register the political party, which violates the directions of the Supreme Court, the petition, filed through Advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, said.

With PTI inputs