Putting stringent norms to crack down on criminals in politics ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls and bypolls for 65 seats, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday revised timelines for the publication of details of criminal antecedents by candidates as well as by political parties who have nominated such candidates during electioneering. The EC has taken the decision after a high level meeting by EC officials on Friday.
As per the revised guidelines, the candidates as well as the political parties, who have nominated such candidates, will have to publish the details of criminal antecedents, if any, in newspapers and television.
Now, the EC has made it clear that the first “publicity” of criminal records should be within first four days of the last date of withdrawal of candidature. It said the second publicity should be within fifth and eight day of the last date of withdrawal. The third and final publicity should be from ninth day till the last day of campaign -- two days prior to the date of election. The poll panel also made it clear that uncontested winning candidates as well as the political parties who nominate them will also publicise the criminal antecedents, if any.
Candidates contesting the upcoming Bihar elections as well as those fighting 64 assembly bypolls and one Lok Sabha by-election in the coming days, will have to adhere to the new timeline while advertising their criminal antecedents.
“Commission decided to further streamline the instructions concerning publicity of criminal antecedents by candidates concerned and by the political parties, who nominate them for elections. Commission has always emphasised on this moral yardstick for overall betterment of electoral democracy,” it said.
“All instructions, in this regard, must be complied by the contesting candidates with criminal antecedents and the political parties regarding their nominated candidates,” it cautioned, adding that the fresh directions come into effect immediately.
In October, 2018, the EC had issued directions making it compulsory for candidates contesting elections and the parties fielding them to advertise their criminal antecedents in TV and newspapers at least three times during electioneering. According to the poll panel’s notification of October 2018, the declarations are done after the last date of withdrawal of nomination and two days before the end of campaigning. Only the candidates, who contest elections, needed to publish the detailed records.
“Regarding the publicity by uncontested winning candidates as well as the political parties who nominate them, it is clarified that uncontested winner candidates as well as the political parties who nominate them shall also publicise the criminal antecedents, if any, as prescribed for other contesting candidates and political parties,” the EC added.