The Supreme Court of India will clarify whether individuals disqualified from voting due to criminal convictions can head political parties. The question arose from a PIL filed in 2017 by G.P. Parameshwaramurthy, now under detailed consideration by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta.
The petitioner argued that while the law bars such individuals from voting or contesting elections, it does not stop them from becoming party presidents — a loophole he says undermines democracy. The court questioned whether leadership rights should face similar restrictions and sought responses from the Election Commission, the Centre, and the petitioner.
Relevant provisions include Article 19(1)(c) on the right to form associations, Article 324 granting powers to the Election Commission, and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which defines electoral disqualifications but is silent on party leadership.
