SC ruling: Jailbirds cannot contest elections

The Supreme Court has held that persons in lawful custody — whether convicted in a criminal case or otherwise — cannot contest elections. The ruling, however, does not apply to those on bail. A Bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and S.J. Mukhopadhaya dismissed appeals filed by the Chief Election Commissioner and others against a Patna High Court judgment that in 2004 had held that when a person in custody is disqualified from voting he or she must be disqualified from contesting in elections too.

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