Yesterday , Supreme Court announced :
MPs / MLAs , who have been handed out a sentence of 2 years or more , will immediately lose their membership of the Parliament / Assembly.
Will this order also prevent persons with criminal records from " contesting " elections ?
I don't know
I am only happy that we have a Judiciary that is finally getting " Active " !
Sure , some will argue that the Courts are stepping into the domain of the legislative wings of our Democracy
But when the Lawmakers of the land become corrupt and even criminal , the Courts become the last resort for the poor people !
If lawmakers cannot - or will not - decide , then someone else has to !
Of Course , from the vested interests , there will be cries of " Judicial Activism " and of " Supremacy of the Parliament " !
The only interest of people in power , is to perpetuate the " Status Quo "
If they have their way , they will even pass a law which will prescribe following eligibility criteria for being able to contest an election ( Panchayat / State / National ) :
" A contestant must be a son / daughter / son-in-law / daughter-in-law / nephew / niece / spouse or any distant relative of a sitting or past MP / MLA - preferably with a criminal record "
-- hemen
MPs / MLAs , who have been handed out a sentence of 2 years or more , will immediately lose their membership of the Parliament / Assembly.
Will this order also prevent persons with criminal records from " contesting " elections ?
I don't know
I am only happy that we have a Judiciary that is finally getting " Active " !
Sure , some will argue that the Courts are stepping into the domain of the legislative wings of our Democracy
But when the Lawmakers of the land become corrupt and even criminal , the Courts become the last resort for the poor people !
If lawmakers cannot - or will not - decide , then someone else has to !
Of Course , from the vested interests , there will be cries of " Judicial Activism " and of " Supremacy of the Parliament " !
The only interest of people in power , is to perpetuate the " Status Quo "
If they have their way , they will even pass a law which will prescribe following eligibility criteria for being able to contest an election ( Panchayat / State / National ) :
" A contestant must be a son / daughter / son-in-law / daughter-in-law / nephew / niece / spouse or any distant relative of a sitting or past MP / MLA - preferably with a criminal record "
-- hemen