The Supreme Court has asked the government to confirm within two weeks whether its February 2018 judgment to set up a permanent mechanism to track unnatural increase in the assets of electoral candidates had been complied with.

A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday directed the government to state whether there was any mechanism to deal with the non-disclosure of assets and income sources by a candidate.

The court has asked the government to clarify whether it has made the necessary amendments in Form 26, mandating submission by the candidates of information whether they suffer from any disqualification under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The Bench directed the Secretary of the Legislative Department to file his reply within two weeks.

The order came on a contempt petition filed by NGO Lok Prahari. It was a petition by this NGO that had led to the February 16, 2018 verdict. The judgment had trained the spotlight on the exponential rise in the assets of politicians within a span of just five years.

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