March 21, 2002
‘7’
LOK SABHA
CONTESTING OF ELECTIONS BY PERSONS OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
The Election Commission of India has suggested that any person who is accused of any offence punishable with imprisonment for five years or more should be disqualified even when his trial is pending, provided that the competent court of law has taken cognizance of the offence and framed the charges against him.
The above proposal was discussed in all-party meeting held on September 13, 2001 to discuss proposals on electoral reforms. The consensus in the aforesaid meeting was against the proposal.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley in a written reply to a question from Shri Varkala Radhakrishnan and Smt. Renuka Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha today.