44% of sitting Member of Parliament (MPs) face criminal charges, 5% are billionaires: Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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44% of sitting Member of Parliament (MPs) face criminal charges, 5% are billionaires: Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR)

Posted 30 Mar 2024

2 min read

  • ADR report also highlights that
    • 50% of MPs facing criminal charge from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh.
    • Among sitting MPs with criminal charges, 29% face serious criminal cases including allegations of murder, attempt to murder, crime against women etc. 

 

  • About Criminalisation of Politics
    • Refers to infiltration of criminals, lawbreakers, and corrupt individuals into political system, who then use their influence to further their own interests at cost of country and its citizens.
    • Reasons
      • Growing nexus between political parties and criminals.
      • Lack of laws and rules for governing elections procedure.
      • Money power i.e. Buying votes for another illegitimate purpose.
    • Impact
      • Against free and fair elections.
      • Affects good governance and integrity of public servants.
      • Corrupt activities like taking bribes, embezzling public funds etc. damages social fabric of society.

 

  • Supreme Court (SC) judgements related to Criminalization of Politics
    • Lily Thomas Vs UOI (2013): MPs, State Legislatures convicted of crime with a minimum sentence of 2 years imprisonment would cease to be members of the house.
    • Public Interest Foundation v UOI (2018): A person cannot be disqualified from membership in a legislative body on mere framing of criminal charges against them.
  • Tags :
  • Criminalization of Politics
  • Lily Thomas Vs UOI
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