‘Will ensure clean politics,’ PM Modi hails SC judgment on ‘immunity in bribery' case
File photo: Indian Supreme Court and PM Modi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Mar 4) hailed the Supreme Court’s verdict on ‘immunity in bribery case’ and stressed that ‘it will clean politics’. Taking to social media platform X, Modi said, “A great judgment by the Hon’ble Supreme Court which will ensure clean politics and deepen people’s faith in the system.”
SWAGATAM!
A great judgment by the Hon’ble Supreme Court which will ensure clean politics and deepen people’s faith in the system.https://t.co/GqfP3PMxqz — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2024
Supreme Court's verdict
The Supreme Court of India earlier ruled that lawmakers both in the country’s parliament and state assemblies are liable to be prosecuted for taking bribes to make speeches and cast votes in the respective houses.
The top court also struck down a 1998 verdict that upheld immunity in such cases.
During the hearing on Monday, the apex court bench said “corruption and bribery by members of the legislatures erode probity in public life” and cannot be shielded under the principles of parliamentary privilege.
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The 1998 PV Narasimha rulingheld that MPs and MLAs who take bribes for voting and asking questions in the House enjoy immunity as per the Constitution.
The landmark judgment was delivered by a seven-member Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
Top quotes by the Supreme Court
"Corruption and bribery by members of the legislature erode probity in public life," the SC noted in the judgment.
"The judgment of the majority in the PV Narasimha Rao case, which grants immunity to lawmakers, has a grave danger and thus, overruled," it added.
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"The offence of a bribe is crystallised on the taking of illegal gratification and does not depend on if the vote or speech is given later, and the offence is complete when the legislator accepts a bribe," the judgment read.
"A member is induced to vote in a certain way because of a bribe and it erodes the foundation of Indian democracy," it further stated.
"Bribery is not protected by parliamentary privilege and the word anything when read with their respective operative words means that a member may claim immunity to say as they feel and vote in a direction in any matter before the house," the SC ruled.