Supreme Court today observed that mutual deference among all institutions of a democratic State was absolutely "imperative" in order to combat criminalisation of politics and corruption in public life.
Holding criminalisation of politics as absolutely unacceptable, the apex court said when criminality entered the grass-root level as well as in the higher levels, there is a feeling that this evil would diminish the masses.
But at this juncture "The law" comes to the rescue in such a situation, a bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C Pant, observed.
"In a respectable and elevated constitutional democracy, purity of election, probity in governance, sanctity of individual dignity, sacrosanctity of rule of law, certainty and sustenance of independence of judiciary, efficiency and acceptability of bureaucracy, credibility of institutions, integrity and respectability of those who run the institutions and prevalence of mutual deference among all the wings of the State, are absolutely significant, in a way, imperative.
"They are not only to be treated as essential concepts and remembered as glorious precepts but also to be practised, so that in the conduct of every individual they are concretely and fruitfully manifested.
"The crucial recognised ideal which is required to be realised is eradication of criminalisation of politics and corruption in public life," the bench observed.
The observation came as the apex court delivered a judgement in a case relating to non-disclosure of full particulars of criminal cases pending against a candidate, Krishnamoorthy, who was elected as the President of Thekampatti Panchayat, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu in 2006.
