In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India to provide details of cases in which it had either removed or reduced the period of disqualification from electoral rolls of leaders post their conviction in criminal cases.
During the hearing, the NGO said the beneficiaries of the rule were former chief ministers of all parties.
'My passion remains pushing for probity in public life and I shall continue my fight,' S N Shukla tells Virendra Singh Rawat.
The apex court said that once such persons demit public office, there is nothing to distinguish them from the common man.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking to allow secret ballot in polls for the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils, observing that the open ballot system is needed to "prevent cross voting and maintain party discipline".
The Centre had told the apex court that the entitlement of former MPs to get pension and other benefits was "justified" as their dignity has to be maintained.
'It's not that the Opposition has to search for common ground.' 'The government is handing the common ground to the Opposition.'
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told the Lok Sabha that the issue of perks and pensions to MPs are given as per provision of the law and it is in the exclusive domain of Parliament.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down as ultra vires a provision of the Representation of the People Act which protects convicted lawmakers against disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal against their conviction in the higher courts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will felicitate about a dozen Loktantra Praharis (defenders of democracy) on the occasion of the 113 birth anniversary of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan in the Plenary Hall of Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on October 11.
The Bahujan Samaj Party has resisted giving up the bungalow on 13-A, Mall Avenue, saying that it had been converted into a memorial to Kanshi Ram in 2011, and the BSP leader occupied just a small portion of it.
The father-son duo had earlier moved the UP government seeking two years' time to vacate their official residences and shifting to their private accommodations in Lucknow.
Shah accused the ruling TMC in Bengal of "spreading canards" about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act
A key argument against the Aadhaar scheme was that it was violative of the nine-judge bench verdict that had held that Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under the Constitution.
The top court had on May 7 held that former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh cannot retain government accommodation after demitting office.
Not just candidates, but their spouses and dependents too have to reveal source of income and assets, observes the apex court.
The verdict may have an impact in other states where former chief ministers are occupying government bungalows for life under the local laws.