Expressing serious discomfort on a PIL seeking disqualification of a candidate from contesting elections if a court framed charges against him or her for serious offences, the Supreme Court of India ruled that such candidate cannot be barred from contesting elections till he is proven to be guilty.
At present, the law disqualifies a candidate from contesting elections if he or she is convicted and sentenced to more than two years in jail.
A bench of Chief Justice of India H L Dattu, Justice A K Sikri and Justice Arun Mishra gave this ruling.