SC bars Dutt from contesting polls

Putting an end to speculations among media, people and political parties, the Supreme Court on Tuesday barred Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt from contesting elections. Dutt, aimed at contesting Lok Sabha poll, was seeking suspension of his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case that killed 257 people.

The apex court Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, and Justices P Sathasivam and R M Lodha observed: “We are not inclined to suspend his conviction.”

The Bench said the court rarely exercises the power to suspend the conviction of a person to enable him to contest the elections, and this (Sanjay Dutt’s case) was not a fit case to grant stay of conviction.

The Bench headed by the Chief Justice also said that this case did not have parity with the cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had resigned as a parliamentarian after his conviction in the unintentional killing.

Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act by a TADA court and sentenced to six-year jail-term in July 2007 for purchasing weapons from criminals who carried out blasts in Mumbai. He was granted bail in November 2007 by the apex court, and is out on bail at present.

As per the Representation of People’s Act, 1950, a person convicted and sentenced to jail for two years or above is barred from contesting elections till a court of law stays the conviction and sentence.

To encash popularity of Sanjay Dutt as a well-known actor in politics, Samajwadi Party inducted him in his political party and wanted to field him from the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency. In fact, much before today’s court judgment, Samajwadi Party had declared Dutt as a candidate from Lucknow on March 5 and the latter had even started campaigning.

When asked about the court’s decision, the disappointed Dutt said he respected the court’s decision as he honoured laws. He, however, said his attachment to Lucknow would continue and he would support whichever candidate from the party come to fray from here.

When asked whether he and the Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh and general secretary Amar Singh were thinking a bit to field Manyata Dutt at his place, Dutt said a decision in this regard was yet to be taken.