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The Supreme Court agreed to hear a PIL seeking a ban for life-time on contesting elections for politicians convicted in a criminal case. BJP spokesperson and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay filed a petition, which raised questions over baring politicians for life as similar provisions exists for public servants. Public servants are banned for life time from taking up government jobs after conviction. He even pleaded for urgent need for decriminalization and de-communalization of politics.

Upadhyay said, "It's not out of context to state that if a public servant is convicted for even one year, there is lifetime ban on job but people's representatives are totally immune from such deterrent penalties. Many convicted leaders involved in serious criminal and corruption cases, formed their own political party destroying the entire fabric of democracy."

According to a bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, a similar petition is pending on electoral reforms in the SC and tagged it with Upadhyay's plea. As of now, anyone who is convicted for two or more years is not allowed to contest in elections for a period of six year after the completion of the sentence.

-Sumana