Advocates:
ANIL KUMAR JHA

Reportable 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 289 OF 2005

Manoj Narula

... Petitioner

Versus

Union of India

...Respondent

J U D G M E N T

Dipak Misra, J.

[for himself, R.M. Lodha, C.J., and

S.A. Bobde, J.]

A democratic polity, as understood in its quintessential

purity, is conceptually abhorrent to corruption and,

especially corruption at high places, and repulsive to the

idea of criminalization of politics as it corrodes the

legitimacy of the collective ethos, frustrates the hopes and

aspirations of the citizens and has the potentiality to

obstruct, if not derail, the rule of law. Democracy, which

has been best defined as the Government of the People, by

the People and for the People, expects prevalence of genuine

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orderliness, positive propriety, dedicated discipline and

sanguine sanctity by constant affirmance of constitutional

morality which is the pillar stone of good governance. While

dealing with the concept of democracy, the majority in

Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain¹, stated that

‘democracy’ as an essential feature of the