- Money power:-
- The increasing role of money power in the form of voter bribery and funding of political parties
- Paid news:-
- The manipulation of the media through paid news and other means.
- Criminalization of politics :-
- Over the last two decades, the influence of criminals in the political arena has shown a tremendous increase.
- According to Vohra report the nexus between the criminal gangs, police, bureaucracy and politicians has come out clearly in various parts of the country.
- Political parties continue to put up criminals as candidates.
- Misuse of caste and religion for electoral gains :-
- The use of religion, caste, community, tribe, and any other form of group identity for electoral gain or for gathering political support should not be allowed.
- Issue of electoral bonds:-
- Analysts said the move could be misused, given the lack of disclosure requirements for individuals purchasing electoral bonds.
- Black money :-
- Electoral bonds make electoral funding even more opaque. It will bring more and more black money into the political system.
- With electoral bonds there can be a legal channel for companies to round-trip their tax haven cash to a political party.
- If this could be arranged, then a businessman could lobby for a change in policy, and legally funnel a part of the profits accruing from this policy change to the politician or party that brought it about.
- These bonds share two characteristics with tax havenssecrecy and anonymity.
- Electoral bonds eliminate the 7.5% cap on company donations which means even loss-making companies can make unlimited donations.
- Hate speech by politicians
- EVM tampering issue and the case for VVPATs
- Financial transparency in political parties:
- This is also one of the fundamental deeper political reforms that is a necessary precondition that must be satisfied before any meaningful electoral reforms can actually take place on the ground
- Ensuring the independence of the ECI:-
- Independence of the ECI, the manner of appointment of the CEC and ECs was debated.
- One member proposed ratification of CEC’s appointment by the Legislature, but the Constituent Assembly disagreed and it simply provided for the CEC to be appointed by the President, leaving it to the Legislature to enact a suitable law.
Way forward:
- The ECI wants print media to be included in Section 126 of the RP Act. This section currently prohibits publication of ads by political parties in electronic media (TV, radio) and recently added social media, 48 hours before voting ends.
- An amendment should be made to Section 125A of the R.P. Act, 1951to provide for more stringent punishment for concealing or providing wrong information on Form 26 of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to minimum two years imprisonment and removing the alternative punishment of assessing a fine upon the candidate
- The ECI sought amendment to RPAto include specific powersto postpone or countermand polls on the grounds of use of money power.
- it is strongly recommended that the appropriate regulatory framework be put in place with regard to political parties (provisions ensuring internal democracy, internal structures and maintenance of accounts, their auditing and submission to Election Commission)
- Political parties should implement CIC’s order and be open for public scrutiny under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
- There should be a ceiling on expenses that can be incurred by political parties during the election period.
- Regulating political parties:-
- The Election Commission should progressively increase the threshold criterion for eligibility for recognition so that the proliferation of smaller parties is discouraged.
- ECI should be authorized to de-register such parties, which do not contest elections.
- There should be publicly reprimanded for politicians for violating the Model Code of Conduct, postponed/ cancelled elections if their credibility was compromised, intensified supervision of elections, and insisted on action against errant officials.
