Right to Equality - Discrimination - cases on common people and political leaders, Whether both are being treated equally ?
Right to Equality - Discrimination - cases on common people and political leaders, Whether both are being treated equally ?
Anyone from India can answer this question. Because the answer is no.
Since many years, many people who Were involved in either misdemeanour/felony/criminal charges are facing different issues. Individual problem may be different. It may be either getting a passport or getting a job in either government sector or private ( When coming to Private Jobs not all the jobs considered). Whether political leaders from India facing the same situation.. ? And the answer is simple, its a big NO.
why do Indian political parties are filled with the candidates who are facing criminal charges ? Considering their past, why do we vote for them ?. Answer is simple. It may be due to Caste/Religion or sometimes Region. Region can't compete with the first two which are sensitive. When we ourselves can't go into government jobs then why are we electing those candidates to rule us. Supreme court in 2011 has given a Judgement that " No government jobs for those with criminal records". A person facing with criminal charges cannot be considered suitable for appointment in government services. The same is not happening to the political leaders.Because they are the law makers and we are giving them that power.In Many cases Candidates with Criminal records don't mask their reputation. Everything will be recorded in affidavit. Even after knowing about his past we still vote for them.
Earlier in the past, Supreme court announced any MP sentenced for more than two years in prison should be disqualified from offices regardless of appeals. But I don't think this will ever happen as they can have endless appeals. In our country, Any political leader from Panchayat President to Prime Minister of India can contest in elections doesn't matter how many charges they are facing with.
According to Association of Democratic Reforms, a Delhi based advocacy group, about 19% of those who stood in 2019 elections are facing charges including rape, murder and kidnapping. The percentage is increasing term to term. These elected leaders who are facing charges are free to run the government as it takes decades to resolve a case in our burdened judicial system. We know that most of the criminal candidates in different constituencies are being supported by voters due to social division driven by caste and/or religion.
It is a point of view that if a common man charged under penal provisions, he is not eligible for any government recruitment, when the political candidate who want to contest in the elections should be treated equally or viceversa. This is not to blame any party as every party in our country is filled with criminal candidates. The voter is the one who have to think a while before he elects someone.
Author : KPK - Editorial FreeLance Writer