New Delhi: The Supreme Court has been moved seeking a direction to the Central government to take appropriate steps to restrict the misuse of religion for electoral gain, debar candidates from contesting election and de-register the political parties which misuse the religion for electoral gain.
Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, spokesperson of the BJP in a fresh PIL said it has been observed, particularly, since 2000 onwards, that not only in the Parliament and Assembly elections, even in the by-election; religious statements are made to support particular political parties and candidates, which is against the basic dictum of democracy and free and fair election in the spirit of Articles 14, 19 and 324. He pointed out that the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 1990 was introduced in Rajya Sabha, particularly, to restrict the misuse of religion in the election. However, it was later withdrawn.
