Supreme Court seeks government response to lifetime poll ban on convicts

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday gave the Central government a week to file their response to a plea seeking life-time ban on contesting election for those convicted of serious offences as it was told that the matter has already been referred to the constitution bench.

The bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Navin Sinha granted the time as government counsel told the court that the response has been finalised as the matter has already been referred to the constitution bench.

Appearing for the PIL petitioner, BJP leader Aswini Kumar Upadhyay, senior counsel Vikas Singh said that the Election Commission has supported the plea of banning a convicted person from contesting election for life.

In his PIL, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader has sought direction to the government to provide adequate infrastructure to setup special courts to decide criminal cases against elected representatives, public servants and members of judiciary within one yearand to debar those convicted from the legislature, executive and judiciary for life in spirit of the Constitution`s Article 14 read with Article 15 and 16.

He also sought direction for the implementation of the electoral reforms as recommended by the Election Commission, Law Commission and National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution to ensure free and fair election in spirit of Article 324.

The court has fixed April 18 as next date of hearing.