Political parties told they must post details on ‘thug candidates’

India’s Supreme Court yesterday ordered political parties to explain why almost half of the country’s parliament comprises MPs with criminal records.

The top court said there had been an ‘‘alarming rise’’ of ‘‘criminal candidates’’ in the world’s largest democracy that had to be addressed urgently.

The proportion of newly elected MPs with criminal records has grown steadily in the past two decades, from a quarter in 2004 to 43 per cent last year.

Criminals’ ability to fill party coffers and finance costly political campaigns, as well as the perception they are ruthlessly prepared to get things done has favoured the rise of ‘‘thug candidates’’, political commentators say. While some political candidates have rap sheets of minor or politically motivated crimes, many face more serious charges such as theft, assaulting public officials, murder and even rape.

The court gave political parties 48 hours to upload details of criminal cases against their candidates on to social media and publish them in newspapers. It stipulated that parties must give reasons why convicted criminals had been chosen instead of other candidates, noting that the chance of victory was not a sufficient reason.

One recent study revealed that candidates with criminal records have an 18 per cent chance of victory, compared with just 6 per cent for ‘‘clean’’ candidates.

The nature of the crime and result of criminal proceedings should be included in the public posting, the court ruled, adding that parties not complying will be held in contempt.

The ruling came after a petition complaining that a similar 2018 direction had not been enacted. The petition warned ‘‘not only do [criminals] deploy enormous amounts of illegal money to interfere with the outcome, they also intimidate voters and rival candidates’’. Once elected, they went on to corrupt the political system. – Telegraph Group