MPs, MLAs to be disqualified from date of conviction: Democracy weakening, says Sharad Yadav

SAHARSA: With the Supreme Court prohibiting jailed MPs, MLAs and MLCs from contesting elections, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav today said things which should have been enacted by Parliament is being done by court which reflects the "weakening" of democracy.

"The thing which should have been enacted by Parliament is being done by the court...this is reflection of weakening of democracy," Yadav told reporters.

On the Supreme Court order on measures to check criminalisation of politics, the JD(U) chief said he does not want to describe the verdict as good or bad, "but one thing is clear Parliament is not running smoothly...democracy is not working properly".

Yadav, Lok Sabha member from Madhepura seat, was talking to reporters after emerging from a meeting on MPLAD.

"In democracy if Parliament functions properly there will never be a situation that court has to intervene and give such order," Yadav said.

On the Allahabad High Court banning caste-based rallies, the JD(U) leader said the step is welcomed but things would improve only when strangle hold of casteism in real life is removed.

Amid speculations of a future tie-up between JD(U) and Congress after split of NDA, Yadav said "the party has not thought anything about alliance at the moment".

"Our focus right now is on strengthening the party for which workers have been told to organise programme at panchayat level," the JD(U) chief said.