If a candidate or his/her agents use a religious speech delivered by a priest or a cleric to mobilise votes during campaigning it is tantamount to 'corrupt practice', the Supreme Court said on Wednesday. The election of such a candidate can be quashed, the apex court added. The bench was looking at misuse of religion by religious leaders and candidates during election campaigning. It asked whether the "non contesting religious leader", besides just the candidate, could also be named for corrupt practices. In the famous 1995 verdict, known as the 'Hindutva judgment', a three-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by then Chief Justice J.S.

Source: dna October 20, 2016 02:26 UTC