Issuing notice and granting four weeks for replies, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked petitioner–advocate Ashwini Upadhyay to make all recognised and registered political parties respondents in the matter, noting that any directions would directly impact them.
Election commission of India (Photo: IANS)
The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the central government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a public interest petition seeking regulation of political parties to tackle criminalisation, corruption and lack of transparency in political parties.
Issuing notice and granting four weeks for replies, a bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked petitioner–advocate Ashwini Upadhyay to make all recognised and registered political parties respondents in the matter, noting that any directions would directly impact them.
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The PIL alleged that in the absence of statutory rules, “bogus political outfits” have mushroomed, some allegedly promoted by separatist groups, and are being used to collect donations and give political space to criminals. It accused some parties of appointing offenders such as kidnappers, drug traffickers and money launderers as office bearers in return for money.
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“There are no rules and regulations for political parties. Therefore, many separatists have formed their political party to collect donations. Some office bearers of these parties have succeeded in getting police protection also,” said the plea.
Citing a recent media report, the petition said the Income Tax Department had detected a “fake” political party converting black money into white by charging a 20 percent commission.
The plea urged the Centre to frame comprehensive rules for the registration and functioning of political parties to ensure secularism and accountability in public life. “Transparency and accountability in the working of political parties are essential in public interest as they perform public functions and, therefore, ECI must frame rules and regulations for them,” it added.
As an alternative, it sought directions to the Law Commission of India to study international best practices prevalent in developed democratic countries and prepare a report on regulating political parties in India.
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