Politicians with Criminal Antecedents, 2018

In its unanimous verdict, a five-judge bench led by the then Chief Justice left it to Parliament to bar lawmakers facing trial for heinous and grievous offences from contesting elections by enacting a “strong law”, while it observed that the criminalization of politics is a bitter manifest truth and a “termite” to the citadel of democracy.

  • Refusing to put a ban on candidates with criminal antecedents from entering the poll fray, the court said the law should also make it mandatory for political parties to revoke the membership of candidates facing serious criminal cases.