In keeping with a recent Supreme Court order, voters can now expect to get a fair idea of the antecedents of candidates contesting elections.

The order makes it mandatory for candidates to file an affidavit detailing their assets, liabilities and criminal cases, if any, pending against them.

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This information will be made available to any individual or organisation on payment of a nominal fee. Some NGOs, like Maharashtra Election Watch, intend to procure the affidavits and disseminate the information among voters to familiarize them with their candidates.

Needless to say, this information will be available to rival candidates too who can be expected to file counter affidavits in case a candidate is hiding or has filed wrong information.

According to K Suryakrishnamurthy, an official in the Election Commission of Maharashtra, "We will not accept nominations sans the affidavits."

The affidavits would have to be filed before a first class judicial magistrate, a public notary or any other authority appointed by the concerned high court.