The Parliament witnessed heated debate on the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill seeking removal of ministers accused of criminal offences and arrested and detained in custody. Much of the debate is on expected lines in a polarised polity and society. A closer examination will help us look at the issue through the prisms of democratic maturity and public interest.

The Lok Satta movement pioneered the Election Watch movement in 1999. As part of Election Watch, a highly credible, non-partisan, transparent exercise was conducted with public participation to identify prominent candidates for elective office with a criminal record. A list of 42 candidates with serious criminal records was released. Later the Supreme Court directed that candidates must file an affidavit declaring their criminal record, if any. All this exercise was undertaken to expose the soft underbelly of our political system; criminalisation of politics is the most egregious symptom of a deeper crisis in our democracy.

That there is a huge problem of criminalisation of politics and undesirable persons ascending to high office is undeniable. A cursory glance at the affidavits filed by candidates shows that 35% to 45% of the elected representatives face some criminal charge or other. Many of these charges are linked with political agitations and violations of prohibitory orders. Sometimes, cases are registered without any credible evidence. After excluding such trivial or........

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