Patna, July 09: Strongly advocating the need to weed out criminals from the electoral process, the Patna High Court today suggested that the crime profile of tainted nominees must receive the widest publicity and returning officers must cancel the candidatures of those declared absconders. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravi S Dhavan and Justice R N Prasad made these observations after the state counsel S K Ghosh furnished information to the court that the candidature of those evading arrest in different criminal cases have been cancelled for tomorrow's poll to 24 seats of the legislative council from local bodies constituencies.
The court said those who come within the purview of Section 33 A of Representation of People's Act are obliged to reveal the offences for which they have been convicted or charged with and these must receive the widest publicity to make the electorate aware.
The judges said those who have been declared as absconders and have not surrendered also violate the rule of law and they cannot make mockery of the law and the courts and their candidatures must be cancelled by the returning officers concerned because even on the eve of elections they have shown scant respect for the law.
Expressing concern over large-scale entry of criminals in politics, the court had yesterday ordered Bihar government to furnish a list of candidates who filed nomination for July 10 elections to 24 legislative council seats evading arrest.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bihar Rajya Panchayat Parishad, an organisation working for enhanced empowerment of local self-government bodies, pleading that entry of criminals would only encourage criminalisation of politics.

Bureau Report