Daily Analysis of 'The Hindu' - 28th January, 2020 | Additional Study Material for UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Crime and politics 
?Supreme Court agreed to hear ECI. 
?ECI plea to SC: direct political parties to not field 
candidates with criminal antecedents.  
?46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. 
?Inflated: many politicians tend to be charged with relatively 
minor offences — “ u n l a w f u l a sse m b l y ” and “ d e f a m a t i o n ” 
?The current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest 
(29%) proportion of those with serious declared 
criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors. 
?Candidates with serious records seem to do well. 
Page 2


Crime and politics 
?Supreme Court agreed to hear ECI. 
?ECI plea to SC: direct political parties to not field 
candidates with criminal antecedents.  
?46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. 
?Inflated: many politicians tend to be charged with relatively 
minor offences — “ u n l a w f u l a sse m b l y ” and “ d e f a m a t i o n ” 
?The current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest 
(29%) proportion of those with serious declared 
criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors. 
?Candidates with serious records seem to do well. 
?These unhealthy tendencies in the democratic 
system reflect a poor image of the nature of 
I n d ia ’ s state institutions and the quality of its 
elected representatives. 
 
?2013: removed the statutory protection of convicted 
legislators from immediate disqualification  
?2014: directed the completion of trials involving 
elected representatives within a year. 
?2017: asked the Centre to frame a scheme to appoint 
special courts to exclusively try cases against politicians 
?2018: political parties to publicise pending criminal 
cases faced by their candidates 
 
?But these have not been a deterrent to legislators 
with dubious credentials.  
 
Page 3


Crime and politics 
?Supreme Court agreed to hear ECI. 
?ECI plea to SC: direct political parties to not field 
candidates with criminal antecedents.  
?46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. 
?Inflated: many politicians tend to be charged with relatively 
minor offences — “ u n l a w f u l a sse m b l y ” and “ d e f a m a t i o n ” 
?The current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest 
(29%) proportion of those with serious declared 
criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors. 
?Candidates with serious records seem to do well. 
?These unhealthy tendencies in the democratic 
system reflect a poor image of the nature of 
I n d ia ’ s state institutions and the quality of its 
elected representatives. 
 
?2013: removed the statutory protection of convicted 
legislators from immediate disqualification  
?2014: directed the completion of trials involving 
elected representatives within a year. 
?2017: asked the Centre to frame a scheme to appoint 
special courts to exclusively try cases against politicians 
?2018: political parties to publicise pending criminal 
cases faced by their candidates 
 
?But these have not been a deterrent to legislators 
with dubious credentials.  
 
?Representation of the People Act, 1951: 
Parliament has to make necessary change.  
?Only enhanced awareness and increased 
democratic participation could create the right 
conditions for the decriminalisation of politics. 
Page 4


Crime and politics 
?Supreme Court agreed to hear ECI. 
?ECI plea to SC: direct political parties to not field 
candidates with criminal antecedents.  
?46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. 
?Inflated: many politicians tend to be charged with relatively 
minor offences — “ u n l a w f u l a sse m b l y ” and “ d e f a m a t i o n ” 
?The current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest 
(29%) proportion of those with serious declared 
criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors. 
?Candidates with serious records seem to do well. 
?These unhealthy tendencies in the democratic 
system reflect a poor image of the nature of 
I n d ia ’ s state institutions and the quality of its 
elected representatives. 
 
?2013: removed the statutory protection of convicted 
legislators from immediate disqualification  
?2014: directed the completion of trials involving 
elected representatives within a year. 
?2017: asked the Centre to frame a scheme to appoint 
special courts to exclusively try cases against politicians 
?2018: political parties to publicise pending criminal 
cases faced by their candidates 
 
?But these have not been a deterrent to legislators 
with dubious credentials.  
 
?Representation of the People Act, 1951: 
Parliament has to make necessary change.  
?Only enhanced awareness and increased 
democratic participation could create the right 
conditions for the decriminalisation of politics. 
Abolition politics 
?Abolition and revival of the second chamber in State 
legislatures. 
?3-capital proposal was referred to a select committee 
by the Council 
?Y .S. Jagan Mohan R e d d y ’ s grievance: the Council is 
working with a political agenda to block his proposal.  
?The need for a bicameral legislature in the States has 
often been questioned. 
?A.P .’s proposal will bear fruit only if Parliament 
passes a law to that effect, based on the S t a t e ’ s 
request. 
Page 5


Crime and politics 
?Supreme Court agreed to hear ECI. 
?ECI plea to SC: direct political parties to not field 
candidates with criminal antecedents.  
?46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. 
?Inflated: many politicians tend to be charged with relatively 
minor offences — “ u n l a w f u l a sse m b l y ” and “ d e f a m a t i o n ” 
?The current cohort of Lok Sabha MPs has the highest 
(29%) proportion of those with serious declared 
criminal cases compared to its recent predecessors. 
?Candidates with serious records seem to do well. 
?These unhealthy tendencies in the democratic 
system reflect a poor image of the nature of 
I n d ia ’ s state institutions and the quality of its 
elected representatives. 
 
?2013: removed the statutory protection of convicted 
legislators from immediate disqualification  
?2014: directed the completion of trials involving 
elected representatives within a year. 
?2017: asked the Centre to frame a scheme to appoint 
special courts to exclusively try cases against politicians 
?2018: political parties to publicise pending criminal 
cases faced by their candidates 
 
?But these have not been a deterrent to legislators 
with dubious credentials.  
 
?Representation of the People Act, 1951: 
Parliament has to make necessary change.  
?Only enhanced awareness and increased 
democratic participation could create the right 
conditions for the decriminalisation of politics. 
Abolition politics 
?Abolition and revival of the second chamber in State 
legislatures. 
?3-capital proposal was referred to a select committee 
by the Council 
?Y .S. Jagan Mohan R e d d y ’ s grievance: the Council is 
working with a political agenda to block his proposal.  
?The need for a bicameral legislature in the States has 
often been questioned. 
?A.P .’s proposal will bear fruit only if Parliament 
passes a law to that effect, based on the S t a t e ’ s 
request. 
?Recent experience suggests that States without a 
Legislative Council favour its revival. 
?Rajasthan, Assam, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh 
have passed resolutions for a revival, but are yet 
to get parliamentary approval. 
?It is quite clear that wherever the Council is 
sought to be revived or abolished, there is no 
consensus. 
?The larger question is whether the Councils are 
serving their intended purpose — to take a 
considered view on matters without being 
influenced by electoral considerations.