SC notice to Centre, EC on PIL seeking to debar persons charged in serious offences from contesting elections

A bench of Justices K M Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the poll panel.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay on the issue.

Besides debarring persons against whom charges have been framed in criminal cases, the plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Kumar Dubey, has also sought direction to the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take steps to restrain such candidates who are put on trial for serious offences.