Election Commission Never Says Die, Proposes For 4th Time To Disqualify Legislators On Being Chargesheeted For Poll Bribery

Election commission can’t for conviction, wants an MP or MLA to be disqualified on being chargesheeted for poll bribery

Election commission had proposed this thrice earlier and got a no for an answer from the law ministry every time.

The Indian Express reported that the poll panel have written a letter to the secretary, ministry of law and justice, on January 2, seeking an amendment to Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 195.

This is the latest in a series of proposals made by the Election Commission to deal with rising incidents of bribery in elections. Recently, the EC had cancelled the R K Nagar bypoll in Chennai in the wake of allegations of voters being bribed.

As per the proposed amendment, the disqualification of sitting MPs or MLAs will be initiated if they are chargesheeted for bribery or undue influence in polls under Sections 171B and 171C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). As per the existing laws, a legislator can be removed and barred from contesting polls for six years only if he/she gets convicted.

 “The proposal is based on the premise that bribery of electors is a serious offence, which needs to be dealt with firmly,” the newspaper quotes the Commission’s letter to the Law ministry.