Order dated 13th February, 2020 of Hon'ble Supreme Court in Contempt Petition (C) No. 2192 of 2018 in WP(C) No. 536 of 2011 - Requirement of publishing details regarding candidates with pending criminal cases- regarding.

In pursuance of the directions given by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in its Order dated
13.02.2020 and in addition to the Commission's earlier instructions dated 10th October, 2018
and 19th March, 2019, the Commission, after due consideration has directed that all political
parties, that set up candidates with criminal antecedents, either pending cases or cases of past
conviction shall scrupulously follow each of the above directions in all future elections to the
Houses of Parliament and State Legislatures. Information regarding individuals with criminal
cases, who have been selected as candidates, along with the reasons for such selection, as also
as to why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates
shall be published by the political party in the newspapers, social media platform and website
of the party in the enclosed Format C-7 within 48 hours of the selection of the candidate
or not less than two weeks before the first date for filing of nominations, whichever is
earlier.

A compliance report in the enclosed Format C-8 shall be sent to the Commission
within 72 hours of the selection of the candidate.

It is clarified that failure to abide by the above directions will also be treated as failure
to follow a lawful direction of the Commission for the purposes of Paragraph-16A of the
Elections Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968