Some victims are harassed, says ADR
In some serious cases, charges have been framed and cognizance has been taken by the courts.
Vijayawada: The report of the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said that all major political parties have given tickets to candidates who have been accused of committing crimes against women, some as serious as rape and assault.
This compromises the safety and dignity of women as citizens, the report points out.
In some serious cases, charges have been framed and cognizance has been taken by the courts.
These figures reveal the grave malaise in our political system where rich and powerful MPs/MLAs accused of crimes against women are able to subvert the system, use their influence to interfere with the police investigation, use the judicial delays to their advantage, and in some cases continuously harass the victim and her family, said ADR.
ADR strongly recommends that candidates with such criminal backgrounds should be barred from contesting elections. Political parties should disclose the criteria on which candidates are given tickets, and court cases against MPs and MLAs should be fast tracked and decided upon in a time bound manner with a court-monitored, professional, and thorough investigation by the police.
ADR has also made the strong point that voters should not elect candidates who have self-declared cases against them related to crimes against women and other heinous crimes.