EC favours barring convicts from contesting elections for lifetime

The Election Commission of India (ECI) told the Supreme Court that it was in favour of barring convicted persons from contesting polls for life and stopping their entry into judiciary and the executive.

The commission also said it was in favour of setting up special courts to decide criminal cases related to people's representatives, public servants and members of the judiciary in accordance with the spirit of the



Constitution.

The EC made these points in an affidavit filed in the top court in response to a PIL seeking setting up special courts for trial of criminal cases against people from the legislature, executive and judiciary.On March 3, the apex court had granted "last opportunity" to the government and the ECI to spell out their stand on a plea for barring convicts from contesting polls for life and stopping them from entering the judiciary and the executive.