The Hindu : Lok Satta forms panel with ex-SC judge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Lok Satta forms panel with ex-SC judge

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI, JAN. 17. The Lok Satta has formed a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Jeevan Reddy, to keep track of accused and convicted persons aspiring for seats in the coming elections and expose them before the public. A list of parameters has been framed to pin down criminals, said Jayaprakash Narayan, its founder and national coordinator. Mr.Narayan was here to address a public meeting on Saturday organised by the Lok Satta's district unit to highlight the people's role during elections. The high-level panel would see if a candidate has been punished earlier in a court of law, is undergoing trial, is/was a rowdy-sheeter, involved in any tender cartels or land grabbing cases, facing corruption charges or enquiry by any commission.

Mr.Narayan urged the public to involve themselves in this `cleansing operation' by writing to the Lok Satta of "morally unfit'' persons aspiring for seats in their constituencies in the elections. The panel would then verify the track record of the candidates and inform the political parties to take suitable action. "If not, the candidates would be exposed before the public, who will have to teach them and the party a lesson,'' he said. People can write to Lok Satta, Post Box No.100, Hyderabad-500 004.

Cuddapah: Mr.Narayan called upon people to defeat leaders with criminal history. Addressing a public meeting on the District Institute for Education and Training (DIET) premises in Rayachoti town, Dr. Narayan said politicians who promote murder politics, violent attacks and land-grabbing must be defeated in the coming elections, as they had no moral right to enact legislation.

Decrying the growing election expenditure, he said contesting candidates were spending nearly Rs. 1 crore each in an Assembly constituency and it had turned out to be `political business'. Prevalence of bogus voters was against democracy and the handiwork of leaders encouraging murders, he alleged. The Lok Satta State convenor, Sarma, district convenor, S. Srinivas and Rayachoti unit secretary, Giribabu Yadav, also spoke.

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