Candidates contesting elections should disclose Criminal Antecedents on Banners, Posters, adv. Gopal Sankaranarayanan

Candidates contesting elections should disclose their criminal antecedents on banners and posters very much like tobacco products are mandated to have pictorial warnings. This was the suggestion by Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan to the Supreme Court while arguing the case relating to the barring of persons charged with serious criminal offences from contesting elections..The matter is being heard by the Constitution Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices Rohinton Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra..On hearing this proposal which equates a cigarette/nicotine pack warning to listing down the criminal CV of the candidate contesting elections, Justice Nariman quipped,.“Voting for this candidate is hazardous to this nation.”.Sankarnarayanan who is representing the Bhartiya Matdata Sangathan argued that candidates contesting elections advertise themselves by way of banners and posters. He said,.“Nothing is more poisonous to a democracy than criminalisation of politics. What is equally poisonous is nicotine”, he said and even proceeded to cite the judgement which made it mandatory for nicotine products to carry pictorial and textual health warnings..He suggested that the Election Commission can direct political parties to compulsorily carry information, especially concerning criminal charges of the candidate, on the banners and posters erected for advertisements..Sankarnarayanan contended that instead of the public having to go online and checking these details on the EC website, these banners disclosing the criminal records will be beneficial to the public in that all the relevant information about candidates will reach a person who is walking on the road..On a lighter note, Justice Nariman said that it will be like giving a health advisory to the public..The Court will continue hearing the case on Tuesday, August 28 when Attorney General KK Venugopal will make his submissions.