New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to the plea for an urgent hearing a batch of petitions by a five-judge constitution bench raising an important question of law, whether a person facing a criminal case in a heinous crime can be disqualified from contesting Assembly or Parliamentary elections at the stage of filing chargesheet or framing of charges or only after conviction.
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra heading a three-judge bench told counsel Ashiwini Kumar Upadhyaya, one of the petitioners and BJP spokesperson who sought early hearing by a constitution bench that it will be listed soon.
Citing urgency, the counsel told the bench that “It is a very important issue for democracy in our country. The matter should be listed at the earliest.”
