SC issues notice for violation of order directing candidates to declare criminal antecedents

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and the EC on a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings for alleged violation of the apex court's judgment directing all candidates to declare their criminal antecedents to the poll panel before contesting elections. A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Saran also sought response from the three deputy election commissioners, law secretary and the cabinet secretary for not complying with its judgment dated September 25, 2018.

The court was hearing a plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. In September last year, a five-judge Constitution bench had unanimously held that all candidates will have to declare their criminal antecedents to the Election Commission(EC) before contesting polls and had called for wider publicity, through print and electronic media about the antecedents of candidates.