A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha, however, stopped short of prescribing disqualification for such people from becoming ministers, leaving it to the wisdom of the PM and CMs not to recommend such names to the President and Governor.
Observing that it cannot add disqualification in article 75 (1) (appointment of PM and Council of Ministers), the bench, however, said that the PM and CMs should not consider people with criminal antecedents and against whom charges have been framed in serious offences, including corruption, for appointment as ministers.
It said that the PM has been regarded repository of constitutional trust and he should act in national interest.
"We are saying nothing more, nothing less and it is left on the wisdom of the PM to decide," the bench said, adding this is also applicable to CMs.
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PM and CMs will be well advised not to include such people in their ministry, it said.
The bench passed the order on a PIL seeking its direction restraining the Centre and State governments from appointing people with criminal background as ministers.