Will the SC verdict impacts political system

The Supreme Court’s verdict over disqualification of people’s representatives caught in criminal activities has come as a big shock to the political parties and their leaders, because as many as 162 sitting MPs are facing criminal charges and 76 of them are subjected to conviction of more than 5 years jail term. Around 1460 sitting MLAs of all political parties are facing criminal charges and out of them 30 percent are involved in serious crimes that attracts a minimum 5years jail sentence. However, all of they are absconding arrest shielding themselves behind people’s representative act. The court verdict now not only pulls out those representatives from their shells, but also likely to push them behind bars.

Supreme Court also gave another significant verdict on Wednesday that bars the representatives from contesting from the jails. The verdict states that any person, who is in the jail or in police custody can’t contest in the elections. Clarifying it further, the apex court bench comprising Justices AK Patnaik and SJ Mukhopadyaya has stated “Only those who can cast their vote are eligible to contest in the elections. Any person, whose right of casting the vote was seized then his/her right to contest in the elections will also seize automatically.

When this ruling comes, all eyes in the state naturally turned towards Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was arrested by CBI in disproportionate assets cases one year ago. If, the latest verdict bared him from voting then it will automatically bars from contesting in the elections for the next 6 years. Several ministers like Dharmana Prasada rao, Sabita Indra Reddy, Pardha Saradhi, Mopidevi Venkata Ramana etc may face the same fate if attract these terms.