http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Mayas-no-to-disqualification-of-criminals/articleshow/7393938.cms
Maya's no to disqualification of criminals
TNN, Jan 31, 2011, 01.13am IST
LUCKNOW: Chief minister Mayawati on Sunday outrightly rejected chief
election commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi's suggestion that candidates
with criminal antecedents should be disqualified from contesting,
saying that this could lead to misuse of law for this purpose and
consequently jeopardise the interest of democracy.
"I am of a firm view that nobody should be barred from becoming an
election candidate without conviction. Any such provision in the law
could be misused and would prove to be a ploy against political
detractors," Mayawati said while addressing a conference on electoral
reforms here at the Bhimrao Ambedkar auditorium of Dr Ram Manohar
Lohia National Law University.
The conference was attended by Union law minister Veerappa Moily,
chairman of State Advisory Council S C Mishra and legal luminaries
drawn from different parts of the country.
The CM's remark came soon after the CEC suggested, "I am in favour of
debarring candidates from contesting polls against whom charges are
framed." In support of his contention, Quraishi said that after a
person is imprisoned, his rights to movement, freedom and earning are
not allowed.
"Why can't we then bar criminals from contesting elections which is
not even a fundamental right," he said.
However, Quraishi found support for his contention in the concluding
session of the conference in which Uttarakhand chief minister Ramesh
Pokhriyal 'Nishank' fully endorsed his view point, saying that
criminals and mafia should be kept out of the electoral process.
Quraishi also suggested formulation of a code of conduct for
electronic and print media and direct election of chief ministers and
prime minister by the people, instead by legislators and MPs.
Mayawati, on the occasion, was also opposed to the CEC's view point
that the Central government funding of elections is a dangerous
proposition.
Quraishi said this is dangerous because this would burden the
government with a huge expenditure and at the same time, there would
be use of illegal money in elections.
Mayawati said that the entire election expense of political parties
should be borne by the Centre, as this would lead to free and fair
elections and also prevent criminalisation of politics.
The electoral reforms, she further said, should be done in a manner in
which the weakest sections of the society, particularly dalits, could
exercise their voting rights freely and fearlessly.
In this context, she referred to the contributions of Bhimrao Ambedkar
and said that the scope of his mission was widened by her mentor and
BSP founder late Kanshi Ram, who transformed politics by creating a
political party centred on marginalised sections of the society. She
said she herself is dedicated to this cause.
Earlier, addressing the conference, Veerappa Moily said that electoral
reforms are necessary as the democracy cannot be sustained on ills
plaguing it. "No doubt that the country has made a stride forward, but
even better political management is needed with an emphasis on probity
in public life by keeping criminals at bay," Moily said.
Fifth in the series, the conference, sponsored jointly by the Union
law ministry and the Election Commission as a part of nationwide
exercise to gather views on electoral reforms, will culminate on a
two-day national consultation in New Delhi on April 2 and 3. So far,
it has been held in Bhopal, Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati. After
Lucknow, it is proposed to be held in Chandigarh and Bangluru.
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