On Thursday, the Supreme Court approved the Central Government’s scheme to set up 12 Special Courts to hear the cases against tainted politicians. On the 12th of December, the Central Government filed an affidavit at the Apex Court with the scheme to set up 12 new Special Courts.
The Courts will focus on the hearings against MLAs and MPs accused of serious offenses. A petitioner has filed a PIL at the Apex Court urging them to ban convicted politicians from contesting polls for life.
Earlier in April, the Center was against this petition, specifying it had adequate provisions in the Representation of the People Act (RPA) to handle the cases.
The RPA states, if a politician is convicted and sentenced to jail for a term of two years or more, will be disqualified. But the ban on the convicted politician lasts for only 6 years after the tainted politician is released from prison.
