Candidates must publicise criminal cases, says EC

NEWDELHI: Candidates contesting elections to the assembly, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will have to publish details of criminal cases — either pending against them or in which they have been convicted — in newspapers with wide circulation in their constituency areas at least on three different dates after the last date for withdrawal of candidatures and up to two days before polling, the election commission said on Wednesday.

The commission said the declaration will also have to be aired on television channels on three different dates during the same period, but the process should be completed 48 hours before the hour fixed for conclusion of polls.

All political parties that field candidates, with criminal cases pending or are convicted, will separately need to advertise these and also put out the information prominently on their website, the poll panel said.

“The matter should be published in font size of at least 12 and should be placed suitably in the newspapers so that the directions for wide publicity are complied with in letter and spirit,” the com- mission said.

The direction comes in the wake of a Supreme Court order last month that said each candidate must declare his/her criminal antecedents to the election commission before contesting an election; all candidates have to inform the party about criminal cases pending against him/her; and political parties will be obliged to put up the information on their websites. The apex court also said parties will have to give wide publicity to the antecedents of the candidates.

To ensure compliance, the poll panel, which has the mandate to conduct elections to the assemblies and both houses of Parliament, has said candidates will have to submit the copies of newspapers in which their declarations were published to the district election officer, along with their account of election expenses.

“In the case of candidates with criminal cases set up by political parties, whether recognized parties or registered un-recognized parties, such candidates are required to declare before the returning officer concerned that they have informed their political party about the criminal cases against them,” the poll panel said.