Politicians must follow ideals of Mahatma Gandhi: RS Dy Chairman

New Delhi [India], Sept. 25 (ANI): After the Supreme Court asked the Parliament to frame a law to ban tainted politicians from contesting polls, Deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh on Tuesday said that if politicians followed the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi then there was no need for the top court to intervene.
Talking to ANI, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha said that politics changes the society and gives direction to it and so it is important for it to be spotless.
"Mahatma Gandhi had described 20-22 qualities that a politician should have. If politics of this country would have functioned according to him, today Supreme Court would not have to intervene," he said.
Earlier in the day, the top court refused to disqualify candidates facing criminal charges from contesting elections and asked Parliament to enact a law instead.
A five-judge bench of the top court headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, while hearing a batch of petitions on the same, said Parliament must ensure that people with serious criminal charges do not enter politics.
The apex court said that candidates and political leaders, with criminal cases pending against them, have to inform their respective political parties about their criminal records. It also asked the political parties to display the criminal records of its leaders on its website.
The top court also directed that each candidate has to fill up the form of the Election Commission and declare whether any criminal case is pending against them. (ANI)