Are the politicians correct, or is this just an attempt to ensure that `tainted' candidates are not debarred?

Your Views                                                                                    Disclaimer

'Could someone drop a bomb on Indian parliament?'

Wed Jul 10 19:04:06 2002
Name:Rajendra Naik
Email:rajn2@rediffmail.com
Your Views:I feel are far from being above the law, politicians should themselves be law abiding citizens and set an example for the people that they represent. A person who has a criminal record displays a criminal mentality and a crooked bent of mind. Putting such a person in a high position would lead to the deterioration of the entire system. Ultimately there is nothing which prevents him from carrying out his criminal activities from such a position. Also it should be ensured that for a person to stand for elections he or she should possess the necessary credentials and qualifications. Merely understanding the pulse of the people is not enough to be a politician but he should also be able to govern efficiently and uphold the dignity of the position that he occupies. The present state of lawlessness prevalent in many states of India stems from this and were this to continue the future of the country would be really bleak.

Wed Jul 10 19:08:23 2002
Name:Komal Ganotra
Email:komalganotra@rediffmail.com
Your Views:It is strange that the so called politicians who have actually started manipulating democracy to the extent that they publicly deny the supreme Court verdict. The independent Judiciary is in fact a pillar of the democracy which is being superseded by misuse of political position. These so called representatives of the people cease to fulfill their responsibilities soon after the elections. They tend to make populist move to woo votes and this vote politics has made the national interest secondary. The criminalisation of Politics has enabled corruption to get institutionalized in the Indian Democracy. Politics has been reduced to the mere game of power play amongst the tainted elements. It is even worse when the educated, professionals, civil servant, policemen etc end up being just puppets. How do we expect this so called criminalized population within our political scenario to frame social policies and Laws. The lawbreaker cannot be the lawmaker and it is time when the civil society and the masses should raise their concern. It is we, the basic unit of democracy who have to ensure that democracy is not just for namesake for it will mean misuse of our power for crime.

Wed Jul 10 19:10:12 2002
Name:Charuvak
Email:charuvak@apoorvanetworks.com
Your Views:The constitution of India clearly mandates new legislation by the legislatures, not by judicial decree. Yes every legislation can be reviewed by the judiciary. The latter has no standing in framing the laws of the land. The supreme court has overstepped in its zeal. This is a sad commentary. The all party meeting correctly reasserted the role of the legislature and its constitutional role in framing laws.

Wed Jul 10 19:11:10 2002
Name:Ujjwal Deb
Email:bappa_deb@hotmail.com
Your Views:It's clearly an attempt to ensure that the vast majority of candidates , most of whom have criminal records and little education, are not disadvantaged. It's a sad commentary on politics in India that this is the only issue on which the parties are united - any policy which aims to better India's lot is not going to unite them ever !

Wed Jul 10 19:14:47 2002
Name:Sunil K
Email:sunil_k@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Supreme Court rule must be made law else our democracy will continue to be a mockery as it has been all these days... Can we expect the RSS that has taught "Rashtra Bhakthi" to its cadres to command BJP to make this rule pass as a law of land???

Wed Jul 10 19:21:26 2002
Name:rajesh
Email:rajeshneelakanta@indiatimes.com
Your Views:This outright rejection of the Disclosure law by all the political parties is a clear indicator of their true intentions. This class of soceity - Politicians are downright hypocrites behaving as they being above law. It is sad that such leading lights as Dr Manmohan Singh, Kapil Sibal, Arun Jaitley etc still continue to support such irrational behaviour. It is a shame and a pity.

Wed Jul 10 19:22:08 2002
Name:Satyadeep Patnaik
Email:bob_patnaik@yahoo.com
Your Views:Politics is the most corrupt institution in India. Our constitution says that a person with criminal cases in their name can't be in the political fray. Supreme Court and the Election commissioner are just trying to uphold the constitution and these politicians are trying to refrain them from doing that. I am sure most of the politicians today even don't know the basics of our constitution. That is why criminals come to politics and continue committing crime and hide it with their political influence. Not only our politicians have criminal background but also they lack the minimum ability to understand the problems of India and address them. They are just jokers and because of them we are even loosing our international battle in Kashmir and also our battle to fight poverty and backwardness in India. We should understand the agenda of a politician should be a vision for India, it should be about taking India to the forefront of the world. It should be about making India literate. but the agenda of most of our politicians is making their bank balance big. As long as people with vision and desire to serve the country are away from politics, the end of this great country is not far.

Wed Jul 10 19:26:19 2002
Name:ramu
Email:garapatiramu@rediffmail.com
Your Views:these political bandits are sharing the loot of the good sense of the common people.Well, whom should we look to in the future if our own leaders openly support these criminals. Shame on our democracy for making them insensitive to the people's suffering, this time belligerently.

Wed Jul 10 19:26:47 2002
Name:Hitansh
Email:hitansh@hotmail.com
Your Views:A lawmaker CANNOT be above law. If judiciary is taking initiative to curb criminalisation of politics, then all political parties should support and take appropriate steps. But, in India, where politics and crime are two sides of the same coin, it is not very surprising that political parties are opposing it. Now, the role of judiciary and election commission becomes all the more important and that they should device a way to give a rap on the knuckles of all erring lawmakers. Few thousand people (lawmakers) cannot be allowed to hijack the entire nation. And don't we all know how do these people get elected. As a responsible and tax paying (a huge one at that!) citizen, I cannot allow them to be above the law, come what may.

Wed Jul 10 19:27:38 2002
Name:muthu
Email:tm_kumaran@yahoo.com
Your Views:whenever their sanctity is questioned politicians never get tired of fighting and they get united to achieve their goal. This act of rejecting the EC move clearly shows that the cat is out of the bag and no politician in this country is "Mr Clean."

Wed Jul 10 19:29:00 2002
Name:S.Venkateshwaran
Email:sv_1954@rediffmail.com
Your Views:The Supreme Court has already enunciated what the Election Commission should do to curb criminalisation of politics and that is the right step. Today, all that matters to persons who want to make quick money is to either become a politician or become friends of one. Ours is society of dichotomies; on the one hand we have highly intelligent persons who go on to become Presidents and yet on the other, Chief Ministers who believe they have a right to rule eternally even if it through their wives, children and relations. The worst kind of course, are those, who have tasted power and simply refuse to let go and would do anything to stay and hang on. A society is judged by the manner in which its leaders are sensitive to the needs of its people. Where corruption is rampant and where might sways over sensitivity, and where the skin becomes thicker than that of buffalo, so as to remain totally immune to the tragedies heaped on the public, it is not surprising that all the like minded feathers have gathered together to stave off this perceived challenge of the decision by the Election Commission. What is needed is a revolution that would sweep all these anomalies.

Wed Jul 10 19:31:13 2002
Name:Pradyot Dhulipala
Email:pradyot_s@yahoo.com
Your Views:The question posed is rhethorical in nature.Under the present dispensation the Lawmakers are very much above the law. Though it is clear that our founding fathers intended otherwise. I can't remember the last time that a big ticket politician had to undergo any significant incarceration for crimes economic or otherwise. The left, the right and the centre of the political spectrum sure as hell unite when any attempt is made to constrain their powers. Politics is the art of accommodation and our politicians have followed this paradigm to the hilt.Does anybody recollect that the Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra came to power on the plank of corruption in the Enron deal. Promptly after assuming office and presumably extracting their pound of flesh they pushed the deal thru literally as if there was no tomorrow (13th day of the Vajpayee government). This rejection of the Electoral Commission's action on behalf of the legislators is very much motivated by the same mentality that allows them to pass salary increases for themselves but far more malignant in nature. We must put a stop to this but the question is how???

Wed Jul 10 19:33:12 2002
Name:Dr. Ambekar.
Email:Ambekar@hotmail.com
Your Views:I personally believe that Politics has to be for the convenience and progress of the "society" (Human beings and environment ) we live in. Person does not have to be highly qualified or academic but should have wisdom to think in that direction. If we take an account of the past we will notice that Lord Ram & Krishna, Chanakya, Kalidas, Gautama Buddha, Guru Nanak Ji, Gnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Shivaji, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Jhansi ki Rani and many more had no Oxford,Cambridge, Harward or any other academic qualifications but they had done some thing that was needed at the time for the society, so education is not the criterion but "Wisdom" to view the prosperity of the society is. Today majority of the community leader get in to politics for "personal and family " gains. The objective of such leaders is harmful to any nation. If there are any such criminal or selfish attitudes are observed by any party, they must themselves disqualify such candidates from the party and make it public why a person or leader has been disqualified, The other parties should not allow such leaders in to their party. Such leaders must be disqualified from forming a party as well. This has to come from within.

Wed Jul 10 19:38:13 2002
Name:ambati
Email:sreenu_am@sify.com
Your Views:dfdfiewoifd

Wed Jul 10 19:42:36 2002
Name:Ajatshatru Rampal
Email:xxman_99@yahoo.com
Your Views:What else is this? The Indian politicians have beaten politicians all over the world, as world class scums !!

Wed Jul 10 19:45:26 2002
Name:Alik Saring
Email:aliksaring@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Hi, I feel, since all the politician are corrupt and posses lots of movable and immovable properties which they cannot give a explanation how they earned those, they are afraid of declaring it publicly. Secondly, if criminals are bar from politics, they know all of them has to start looking for other alternatives to survive. What they are claiming that EC is not above parliament is just a mockery of Indian constitution, they too selfish to introduce a new law which could be a beginning of new dawn to India. In my personal view all politicians should be debarred to live in India. Regards, Alik

Wed Jul 10 19:52:31 2002
Name:Sathya J
Email:sathyaitjob@yahoo.com
Your Views:I don't think a debate even exists to determine if the move by the politicians is for protecting their own family of scum or for the interests of the nation. What needs to be done now is not to debate, but to act! I'm an IT professional who has very little knowledge of the process of law in the nation. Is there a way that we could all get organised and file a legal suit against these "lawmakers" who dare to defy the judiciary for their own selfish needs? It's stupid and futile to wait for someone else to be born and improve our nation! We need to get started on this right away. If anyone has a degree in law and wants to take action, I'll give you my support! I hope all my other fellow countrymen would also shed their fatalistic attitude and unite to improve India TODAY, and not wait for TOMORROW!

Wed Jul 10 19:53:19 2002
Name:avinash unni
Email:avi77@rediffmail.com
Your Views:In this case the politicians are absolutely incorrect. Nowadays it is trend that they support any move which gives them more privileges and at the same time oppose any move to make accountability to their deeds. Political parties with different ideologies are having a unified opinion in this matter. This shows how hypocritical our politicians are. The law making power these people are having is assigned by the people of the country. Politicians are ultimately accountable to the general public. Unfortunately we people have only the power to elect them, but not the power to call back.

Wed Jul 10 19:57:33 2002
Name:satwant singh gill
Email:satw48@rediffmail.comI
Your Views:It's like students appearing in an exam insist that they will decide the powers of the examiner and the rules & regulations to be followed by him.

Wed Jul 10 20:03:08 2002
Name:Bejoy Pillai
Email:bejoyp@hotmail.com
Your Views:Indian democracy is a sham. All these politicians are hand in glove just to exploit a billion people. All that goes on in the parliament is nothing but tamasha/drama to feed the gullible public. There is no opposition no ruling party no BJP no congress no left no right they are all one. The Supreme Court directive has exposed this.

Wed Jul 10 20:04:24 2002
Name:Baskaran Sankaran
Email:rudhbaskaran@rediffmail.com
Your Views: No!, This is again an attempt by our political parties to overrule the courts as has been done in Shah Bano case or in the emergency. This is very unfortunate that politicians behave irresponsibly. Surprisingly (rather, not surprisingly!) all the parties have joined hands, forgetting their rivalry & ideological differences. The political parties feel that such a ruling will affect persons against whom there are political cases or cases foisted out of rivalry. This concern has to be addressed suitably. But, completely throwing away the SC ruling is going to have an effect the country and our society for a long term. Can our new president, EC and the SC together take up this matter and stop the political parties in bringing in the law? I am not sure whether this is possible given the overruling powers being enjoyed by the parliament. Our constitution has given prominent roles for the three pillars viz. Parliament, Judiciary and bureaucracy. What I feel missing in that design is the checks and balances. This should be designed in such a way that a conflict between these should be solved in a way that is good for the country as a whole. Will the politicians think??

Wed Jul 10 20:06:20 2002
Name:Gopal
Email:helloall75@hotmail.com
Your Views:I have had no major problems with BJP as I was educated by an RSS managed school. I always had soft corner for BJP even when there were some ugly incidents (Tehelka, Gujarat). BJP, which stood as champions of anti-corruption, now wants to pass this new law in parliament. They are making fun of middle class people who elected them to power. BJP has lost me, their ardent supporter. I not only not like them but also want to see them wiped off from Indian politics. Indian middle class needs a new party with an agenda. Masses can be led into believe whatever they want but they can't fool an educated mass. It is time to root out BJP from the parliament. When next time BJP comes as major party its old ilk will no longer be with it. Advani is no savior. He is not solution but part of the problem.

Wed Jul 10 20:07:06 2002
Name:Sheo Mohan Singh
Email:sheomohan@yahoo.com
Your Views:I felt disgusted to read the news of all party meeting. How can they even think that the election commission can not apply the supreme court directive. This should have been a law the day we started having first elections! Sheo

Wed Jul 10 20:10:10 2002
Name:Manek Shah
Email:manek_shah@rediffmail.com
Your Views:No the law makers or for that reason nobody should be above the common law of the nation. If we believe strongly in a just, free nation free from fear psychosis then we need to put everybody under microscope of lawful behaviour.

Wed Jul 10 20:19:40 2002
Name:Ahi
Email:ahi28@yahoo.com
Your Views:No Not At all. It is like asking a thief to pass a law against the thief. Obviously they won't. Most (Not all) of our Indian politicians are corrupted and criminals. So how do they pass a bill against them.

Wed Jul 10 20:21:00 2002
Name:Hamlet
Email:hamlet054@hotmail.com
Your Views:It's clear that most of us are disgusted by the recent stand taken by all the political parties opposing Election Commission move to implement the Supreme Court directive asking candidates to disclose their antecedents. The problem is that nobody seems to be listening. And we call it a democracy? Maybe we can try sending emails to at least the major political parties and maybe even the law ministry.

Wed Jul 10 20:22:43 2002
Name:Manoranjan Sahoo
Email:raj12385@rediffmail.com
Your Views:A lawmaker himself is a common citizen of India...so how can he be above the law...if common people are subject to law then lawmakers also do come under the purview of law...they should also be punished if they too commit any crime.

Wed Jul 10 20:24:37 2002
Name:Ram Gurazada
Email:ayodhya@hotmail.com
Your Views:It is a pity that politics and crime are interlinked to each other. Its further exposed now. You name any major controversy and our leaders are prompt to say that "everyone should abide by the court verdict". Not when it affects them directly (cutting across the party lines)! Hypocrisy at its zenith! God Save India.

Wed Jul 10 20:44:33 2002
Name:Zoheb Ainapore
Email:zohebsa@rediffmail.com
Your Views:I feel that the candidates should disclose their antecedents and also a legislation should be brought out to curb criminalisation of politics, lawmakers are not above the law

Wed Jul 10 20:55:35 2002
Name:Ramesh
Email:vramesh_3848@hotmail.com
Your Views: The law makers have looted this country by assigning special privileges to themselves starting from free travel, plots at prime locations at near gratis rate, dealerships. Agencies etc apart from money received from pressure groups/industrialists for lobbying. I think except for 2-3 members in the parliament not one of them is there to serve the interests of the people whom they supposedly represent but to accumulate as much wealth as possible as short a time. How can a representative who travels by ac car with escort or flies know the travails of an ordinary citizen. If they are there to do social service how do you answer for the rush from all and sundry to get elected or fight elections. If it weren't a profitable profession or if it involved social work will we see such a huge crowd using all means to get elected? The Supreme Court simply throw out any legislation likely to be passed by Parliament and make them more accountable. No individual can fight such a large team of crooks e,g, the travails of the Tehelka team. The only solution is from the Supreme Court.

Wed Jul 10 21:04:34 2002
Name:Krishna
Email:krup@rediffmail.com
Your Views:What politicians are intending to do is just the rape of all decency

Wed Jul 10 21:06:52 2002
Name:shailesh sohoni
Email:ssohoni_s@yahoo.com
Your Views:No way! If they are then they are not the law makers they are goondas!

Wed Jul 10 21:12:36 2002
Name:Indian
Email:ashkomansh@hotmail.com
Your Views:It is needless to say that all the political parties have candidates that possess criminal backgrounds. Implementing the Supreme Court's directive will impact all the political parties. The shameful part is that the executive is trying to subvert the judiciary. The executive needs to know that this can (should) be done only in the case of national security. In the above matter the executive is trying to flaunt the judiciary's directive for petty gain. This is really shameful and should not be allowed to happen.

Wed Jul 10 21:23:02 2002
Name:Nandan Das
Email:byomkesh@hotmail.com
Your Views:Once again, our usually fractured and divided political parties unite. And once again, the issue is something that is detrimental to India. The previous time this happened (that comes to mind readily) is when the salaries and perks of MPs were increased. The cynicism runs deep and actions such as these only help to increase this feeling that nothing can be done. This is nothing but an attempt to ensure that rapists, murderers, kidnappers and extortionists continue to have free reign in our governments. The unity on display is quite interesting. The phrase "thick as thieves" comes to mind quite readily. It is sad that even educated and senior leaders cannot stem this rot.

Wed Jul 10 21:23:18 2002
Name:P.GANESH BHAT
Email:bhatganesh26@sify.com
Your Views:The politicians are playing with the interests of the nation by allowing them to handle the law making. At any cost they should be brought to earth by the people.

Wed Jul 10 21:24:49 2002
Name:Rajesh
Email:rajeshm@asia.com
Your Views:Yes I agree with you. Time and again we have seen how political leaders get away with it by exploiting loopholes in law. Its high time now that every Indian should stand up and question these politician's for every paisa they spend. Its after all our hard earned money. I think its the 'chalta Hai' or 'somebody else will take care of it' attitude of Indian that allows these politician's to get away with it. Its time now that every taxpayer should know their rights. Every person in India should realise their role. It's no point conducting these polls if they are not going to change the system. Let's make these politician feel the heat of power we have in our hand. Lets twist the arms of those who decide our future. I am optimistic that this will happen some day. I am just waiting to see one Indian to start a fight against the corrupt system. May be another freedom fight to get rid of these politician...make another mahatma...

Wed Jul 10 21:34:08 2002
Name:vs jayakumar
Email:vsj@mailcity.com
Your Views:Is it not contempt. After all, the Election Commission is implementing the Supreme Court decision. How can any one reject that move?

Wed Jul 10 21:46:31 2002
Name:anand
Email:anand1146@hotmail.com
Your Views:it is surprising at the same time intriguing to note that all party meet rejected supreme court directive..what if any criminal rejects the punishment court gives him and says "review it?" How is that any different from what these guys did? Sometimes I feel it is better to have a dictator instead of these thoroughly shameless blatantly senseless and totally disgusting politicians...all Indians head should hang in shame...what do our beloved newspapers have to say about this...??

Wed Jul 10 21:50:35 2002
Name:Gopal
Email:helloall75@hotmail.com
Your Views:Could someone drop a bomb on Indian parliament. We need new leaders now.

Wed Jul 10 21:50:59 2002
Name:Arnab Ray
Email:bukku@mailcity.com
Your Views:The motives of the politicians are crystal clear. All political parties have actively sought support from lumpen elements and this is just their way of covering their ass. "Bringing probity in public life" is just empty verbiage as it is in order to bring probity itself that convicted criminals should not be allowed to stand for office. All the EC asked was for transparency which of course is not in the best interest of Indian politicians. And it is funny that this issue and the issue of raising perks and salaries for MPs and MLAs are the only 2 issues which all parties agree on.

Wed Jul 10 21:51:01 2002
Name:T.S.Gopalakrishnan
Email:tsgopal@eth.net
Your Views:criminals are everywhere. But we attach importance to politicians. We want no criminals to become politicians. Let us attempt to bar criminals in every field where common people are affected. We hear criminal cases against judges and we also openly go to criminal lawyers for justice. We know criminal journalists who claim they are investigative men. we know doctors, teachers, police, customs, central excise officials against whom cases are filed. We cannot name one profession having a clean chit. We have business class openly making huge profits at the expense of public. All these persons are selling their conscience in the name of increasing GNP of the country. Let us not pinpoint on the politicians so that others may walk away feeling that they are all mahatmas. If we are really interested in changing the attitude of the people our basic philosophy of life should be different. May be we must go through our past literature not past history and learn what is life and living. Instead of attempting to raise our standard of living through five year plans we must try to raise the people themselves above selfishness. survival of all should be our motto instead of the fittest.

Wed Jul 10 21:51:19 2002
Name:Raj
Email:rajgops@hotmail.com
Your Views:It is not very surprising to see how much unity these people have when it comes to deciding a hike in their pay (remember, not so long ago, all the MPs received a pay hike), disregarding with sheer impunity the Supreme court directive that could have helped cleanup Indian politics, etc.. But before we jump to blame them - it is WE citizens who vote these uneducated, manipulative, corrupt and criminal scum to the power. Do you think they will relinquish this 'gift' so easily? But then-it is not really a choice when we have to choose the 'least bad guy'.

Wed Jul 10 21:51:30 2002
Name:Dr.P.Mohan
Email:ponnu@vsnl.com
Your Views:This makes mockery of democracy. No common man who is law abiding would tolerate such an absurdity except in india. In India law abiding citizen is a fool.

Wed Jul 10 21:51:33 2002
Name:Ramya Nair
Email:advramyanair@rediffmail.com
Your Views:The Hon'ble Supreme courts judgment is appreciated provided a panel or commission in public interest is kept to monitor the future activities of all Govt servants and politicians constantly right from the time they take the throne of public service.

Wed Jul 10 21:54:00 2002
Name:N. H. Khan
Email:nhkhan1@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Credibility of politicians are at the nadir and they deserve it. I believe, the political class as a whole are hell bent upon subverting the supreme court directive. They will bring some legislation having a thousand loopholes so that can continue with their ways. I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel unless the public become restless and decide to start some kind of Satyagraha.

Wed Jul 10 21:55:20 2002
Name:lakhbir singh saini
Email:lakhbirsaini@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Nothing is gonna to happens coz every one is the same. First they will pledge this and that and afterwards they will make a big scam..everyone knows that.

Wed Jul 10 22:03:10 2002
Name:Bidendu Banerjee
Email:bidendu@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Yes. The Lawmakers are also the lawbreakers and people who ensure that laws are never implemented. The Executive in India is under the thumb of the lawmakers and are willing to execute even if the orders are illegal. The Judicial and law enforcement systems have been subverted/are in shambles and do not have the ability to ensure the rule of law. Ironically it's the lawmakers who seem to be the biggest gainers if the rule of law is not enforced !

Wed Jul 10 22:07:18 2002
Name:Vijaya Reddy
Email:vijayabareddy@hotmail.com
Your Views:No, they are not above the law. It is very good for the nation to implement the Supreme Court directive by Election Commission. At least people of India will give a thought to it (hopefully) before electing their representative. We have many rowdy-sheeters, murderers and illegal activists as our leaders. When it becomes law then can they still be prosecuted after their election, if found guilty while disclosing facts. If this happens, everybody sees the change in the way leaders rule the country. India will slowly run towards the goal of a developed nation that thinks about the people.

Wed Jul 10 22:10:00 2002
Name:AMIT LAL
Email:amitlal72@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Politicians, I understand, are there to govern state/nation and to guide it towards prosperity. This job can only be done effectively by people, who possess the required skill and qualification for this. When even for a small job in any organization a person has to furnish his full horoscope then what is stopping us from implementing the same thing in politics also, irony being that it is a much more complicated and responsible area. I mean this is a mere common sense. Why don't we take a lesson or two from the world's most successful democracy,US. See the profile of their politicians. And the results are all bare for the whole world to see. Politics in our nation mostly is all ruled by bunch of illiterates, who have more interest in securing their next seven generations financially rather than planning for the next seven generations of our nation. Politicians here are deep rooted corrupt, criminal and unscrupulous persons who think they are God specially after winning elections. The result of such people holding office is very much visible in Bihar where talking about discipline, law and order etc is considered as waste of time. So let's educate politicians to educate nation.

Wed Jul 10 22:12:06 2002
Name:Brijesh Mishra
Email:brijeshm@hotmail.com
Your Views:All these politicians are afraid of what will happen after the SC orders are implemented. They will not be able to steal the taxpayers hard earned money. Also they are afraid that public now will know how much capable they are, what they are, who they are. SC order is in the right path. It must be followed. No one is above the law.

Wed Jul 10 22:19:19 2002
Name:Manoj
Email:m.koul@attbi.com
Your Views:This is an attempt by the political parties to ensure that criminalisation thrives in our political system. Let's make clear to them that they are not above the law. We as voters have a right to know the character of the person whom we are sending to represent us. It is time that political parties understand that Indian voter will not accept their hypocrisy.

Wed Jul 10 22:21:37 2002
Name:Ravina Mukherjee
Email:raveena_mukherjee@yahoo.com
Your Views:The naked truth that came out of the politician's unanimous opposition to one of the much awaited opinion of the supreme court shows how impotent our democratic system is, what lowlifes our politicians are and how apathetic our media is to the most important issue for India today. It is a shame that the media is not making a big deal about this at all!! The people are not able to voice their extreme rage at the parasites of our country (these politicians). Why should those who rule us should be very highly educated and have impeccable character? Why should they be allowed to hide their financial, criminal and educational backgrounds when they intend to become public servants? Either they choose to prove through their qualifications and character that they deserve the offices they hold or they quit those offices they use to fill their coffers in Swiss banks. This opinion of the Supreme court should be the very FIRST clause in our constitution!! If that happened we would have seen a very different India today!! Unfortunately the politicians will never allow this to happen. "Apne par par kulhadi marne waali baat hai." God save India from these parasites!!!

Wed Jul 10 22:27:32 2002
Name:vasu
Email:vasu120@rediff.com
Your Views:they are all from same "than" of cloth, we know very well most of politicians {sorry 99.9% including BJP so called uncorrupted guys} in India are corrupted, so how can we expect them to do such a law? Moreover as long as stupid people in India changes and elects good people as their MLAS/MPS, there is no point in talking this issue. I am ashamed to be an Indian. Thank god I am out of that stupid atmosphere. As long as there are Laloos, Mulayam Yadavs, Paswans, Rabris, Jayalalithas, KR Narayans, there is no point in talking about corruption. God bless India. I am sorry even god is helpless in case of India. Jai Hind.

Wed Jul 10 22:35:25 2002
Name:Jogesh Sharma
Email:jogeshs@hotmail.com
Your Views:Any lawmaker is finally a direct or indirect representative of the people for whom the laws are being made. Since everyone cannot make rules, as is would be hard to reach a consensus the lawmakers are chosen to do the job. This doesn't shield them from the law they have made themselves. If a lawmaker doesn't have faith in his/her own law or doesn't believe in his own law, they have no right to formulate it in the first place. Today's representative may not be elected as a lawmaker tomorrow and would become vulnerable to the same laws then so what's the use of hiding from them today?

Wed Jul 10 22:36:56 2002
Name:Vikas Puthran
Email:vikas@recipemix.com
Your Views:I think it must be made mandatory for political candidates to disclose their antecedents and police/criminal records. Whether they should be debarred from contesting elections altogether is still debatable. But this information must be provided to the voter for them to make an informed choice. Eventually it will depend on the voter if they choose to elect candidates with criminal backgrounds.

Wed Jul 10 22:38:57 2002
Name:Anirban dasGupta
Email:DAnirban@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Our democracy is "buy the people, far the people, Off the people". No wonder India is 6th most corrupt country in the world. We are surviving on the mercy of some notorious criminals and law and order exist only on paper. More than 20% of my annual salary goes to our so-called "national exchequer" and I have to travel through the same broken road, dusty muddy footpath, daily 9 hours of load shedding, horrible public transport, no drinking water. I wonder why I pay tax? Probably we pay for being Indian. Do we really need this democracy?

Wed Jul 10 22:59:04 2002
Name:Vijay
Email:vijayarangadham@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Law makers should be made subservient to the law. Especially the episodes like the one we have seen in political parties rejecting SC ruling on disclosing antecedents of contestants, should not happen. That is an example where law makers "unanimously" are going against the law. As per congenital law breakers like Laloo Yadav's goons who have become lawmakers, there is not much to say except that we still have a long way to go in implementing the law equitably without fear or favour.

Wed Jul 10 23:04:03 2002
Name:Vijay
Email:vijayarangadham@rediffmail.com
Your Views:I have posted my view already. This one is a suggestion to rediff. How about starting an online petition to the prime minister and election commissioner expressing support for the EC move for implementing the SC directive. I believe almost every Indian who gets to see the petition will sign it and once the people's strength is seen then political parties may rethink their stand.

Wed Jul 10 23:04:06 2002
Name:Jude
Email:judecanute6@rediffmail.com
Your Views:Not just disclosing assets but all checking the criminal records and the making the graduation as the qualification for contesting in polls both (state and in the center).

Wed Jul 10 23:18:55 2002
Name:vikas
Email:vikasnair21@yahoo.com
Your Views:The right to information is the basic right that everyone should be entitled to. Taking into account the pervasiveness of education or rather the lack of it, it becomes increasingly difficult for a layman to tear of the veil of probity or see through it. It becomes imperative in this scenario to have some sort of medium which is easy to understand and non circumventable. The directive to disclose the antecedents can be a big step in this direction. It would save a lot of mud slinging and harangues so sickeningly ubiquitous in our electoral system. This would definitely depend on how well this is implemented too as is the case with all other laws and checks but in either case it could prove a solid rallying point in case of the noncompliance of the candidate and would definitely result in more accountability. I think it a very positive step and the legislators have made the nation hang their heads in shame at the spinelessness and doublespeak of their so called 'representatives'.

Wed Jul 10 23:27:48 2002
Name:Adarsh
Email:adarsha@mailcity.com
Your Views:It is absolutely wrong to field candidates who have criminal background. Politicians have no right to treat themselves as above the law. They cannot field any criminal / a convict in the electoral field, just to rig the elections and win the elections. Those with criminal record/convicted should be barred from standing for elections. Then only there will be a semblance of character to the Parliament that plans to rule and administer we Indians. It is a shame on the part of political parties to reject the SC directive, as candidates have an obligation to disclose their previous record. Public does have a right to know whether the candidate that they are voting for is involved in any criminal activities and do they want to support and vote for a criminal person or not. Hope the so-called, all-party meeting listens to the public outcry.

Wed Jul 10 23:29:36 2002
Name:MICHEAL MPAGI KIRUMIRA
Email:mmkirumira@yahoo.com
Your Views:They are not above the Law, they have to face the judges.

Wed Jul 10 23:36:08 2002
Name:amit
Email:amit_arora_89@hotmail.com
Your Views:this is just an attempt to ensure that "tainted" candidates are not debarred

Wed Jul 10 23:44:13 2002
Name:upendrareddy
Email:toupender@rediffmail.com
Your Views:No.

Wed Jul 10 23:52:53 2002
Name:Atul Bajpai
Email:atool71@hotmail.com
Your Views:The unanimous rejection of the supreme court directive is nothing but a unanimous admission of guilt by our politicians. What else can we expect when criminals are sitting in their own judgment. I don't know the guy who represents me in the government and he/she doesn't know me and obviously they want to keep it that way so they can concentrate on what they do well, turning mine and your money into their own. But one good thing that's going to happen is that a law will be enacted to fulfill some of the requirements of the supreme court judgment. Which is always a good start.

Wed Jul 10 23:53:19 2002
Name:FA ROOQUE AZAM
Email:farooque_azam@hotmail.com
Your Views:Even a chaprasi is employed leave alone the higher officials, we see that he is slightly educated-he has no criminal record, as this we feel necessary for the integrity of the unit, company. So why not for these high responsible candidates who inspire to rule the largest democracy-citizens consisting of scientists, intellectuals, educationists, industrialist etc.etc....shall rule without qualifying any basic requirements-opposing such valid demands,that we have already started degeneration, degradation of the quality of rulers.we people and media must take serious steps to imply valid supreme court directives to save the country from being unruly-otherwise country will be ruined by these lawless, uneducated, rulers. I would like to mention the famous couplets by the great poet Eqbal "na samjhoge to mit jaoge hindustan walo-thumhrai dastan bhi na hogi dastano mein" these politicians should be responsible enough to decide what is good for the country and not just see the immediate benefit for them or their party-arise and save the country.

Wed Jul 10 23:59:58 2002
Name:GP
Email:Sorry@nomail.com
Your Views:Criminals should be barred from political life. I am not sure disclosing is enough. What will the EC do with those? Are they going to compare their wealth before & after their term and punish if they have gained wealth? I wish Supreme court implements one more rule, any convicted political leader should be jailed in Andaman islands. Let's use our old jails for dirty/criminal politicians.