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Proposed Electoral Reforms

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Over the years, several committees set up by the union government, Law Commission reports, and the Election Commission itself have proposed wide-ranging electoral reforms such as issues related to the criminalisation of politics, electoral financing, the autonomy of the Election Commission, Anti-defection law, paid news, simultaneous elections, Right to reject, Model code of conduct etc. that we will discuss in this article.

Government Committees Related to Electoral Reforms
  • Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms (1990)
  • Vohra Committee Report (1993)
  • Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998)
  • 170th Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999)
  • National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2001)
  • Election Commission of India – Proposed Electoral Reforms (2004)
  • The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008)
  • 244th Law Commission Report on Electoral Disqualifications (2014)
  • 255th Law Commission Report on Electoral Reforms (2015)
  • High-Level Committee on ‘One Nation, One Election’ (2023)

Criminalisation of Politics

  • The criminalisation of politics has been at the forefront of the electoral reforms proposed by several commissions, including the Election Commission and Law Commission.
  • As per the reports of the Association for democratic reform, the number of tainted representatives has been increasing with each Lok Sabha. In the current Lok Sabha (17th), 43% of representatives have some kind of criminal charges on them, of which 29% of them face serious criminal charges like rape, whereas, in the 16th Lok Sabha, the percentage of representatives with criminal charges stood as 34%.

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FAQs related to Proposed Electoral Reforms

Criminalisation of politics undermines democratic principles, compromises public interest, and erodes public trust. Currently, 43% of Lok Sabha members have criminal charges, with 29% facing serious ones.

Key issues include lack of transparency, use of black money, unregulated corporate donations, and limited oversight by the Election Commission.

State funding involves government support (monetary or in-kind) to political parties. It aims to reduce dependence on private donors, promote fairness, and curb illicit funding.

The Election Commission and Press Council have recommended declaring paid news as a corrupt practice and electoral offence under the Representation of People Act.

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