by SOUTIK BISWAS, BBC Delhi Correspondent
Do India's political parties condone corruption?
A panel reviewing India's laws on sex crimes after the fatal gang rape of a student on 16 December, 2012 has highlighted the problem of criminalisation of politics and asked lawmakers facing severe charges to voluntarily quit as a mark of respect to the parliament and the constitution.
Last year, India's most respected election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms informed us that nearly a third of MPs - 158 of 543 - in the parliament faced criminal charges.
New research has now thrown up more bad news. After examining affidavits filed by candidates to the Election Commission at the time of contesting elections, the watchdog found that a third of all lawmakers at the centre and all states - or 1,448 of 4,835 - faced criminal charges.
A total of 641 declared serious criminal cases like rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery and extortion, among other things. The watchdog also found that 98 candidates facing corruption cases were given...
Do India's political parties condone corruption?
A panel reviewing India's laws on sex crimes after the fatal gang rape of a student on 16 December, 2012 has highlighted the problem of criminalisation of politics and asked lawmakers facing severe charges to voluntarily quit as a mark of respect to the parliament and the constitution.
Last year, India's most respected election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms informed us that nearly a third of MPs - 158 of 543 - in the parliament faced criminal charges.
New research has now thrown up more bad news. After examining affidavits filed by candidates to the Election Commission at the time of contesting elections, the watchdog found that a third of all lawmakers at the centre and all states - or 1,448 of 4,835 - faced criminal charges.
A total of 641 declared serious criminal cases like rape, murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery and extortion, among other things. The watchdog also found that 98 candidates facing corruption cases were given...





