SC seeks response of EC, Centre on background of candidates

new delhi: already engaged in making politics free of criminals, the supreme court on friday sought the response of the union government and the election commission on the issue of making it mandatory for the candidates to declare their assets and criminal background. a bench comprising justice s p bharucha and justice y k sabharwal issued the notices after hearing the arguments of petitioner pucl's counsel rajinder sachar seeking a direction to evolve the requisite measures for securing a declaration of assets by the candidates of all the political parties and independents every year during their continuance as law makers.sachar said the government and ec should also take steps to make it mandatory for the candidates contesting elections to declare "whether any charge in respect of any offence has been framed against him/her". "in order to uphold the democracy, rule of law, that the law making process and preservation and protection of citizens rights under the constitution are secure, it is necessary to know that they are governed by those who are honest and dedicated to the faith put on them by the people," pucl added. "it is not an unknown fact that those who file their nominations, suddenly after being elected, amass wealth which is totally disproportionate," pucl said, adding ``unfortunately due to the political power they wield, they remain beyond the reach of law implementing authorities''. "this tendency has to be curbed immediately in order to safeguard the public money and to see that elected representatives discharge their duties towards the people in a manner provided in the constitution," the petition said. pucl has referred to the 170th report of the law commission which had recommended that a person would not be qualified to file nominations for an election unless he/she filed declarations about his assets and criminal background. pucl further said under the law laid down by the supreme court, the citizens, under article 21, have a right to know the affairs of the government elected by them.