NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc.: Political Science Study Material Electoral Reforms

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Electoral Reforms

The Government has taken various steps to bring about electoral reforms. The steps taken are:

  • Freeze in the increase of the total-number of j the Parliamentary (Lok Sabha) and State Legislative Assembly Constituencies upto the year 2026. This was achieved by the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act, 2001
  • The freeze in the increase of the total number of the Parliamentary and State Legislative Assembly constituencies has been taken as a motivational measure to States to pursue fearlessly the agenda for population stabilization.
  • The Cabinet decided to raise the ceiling on election expenditure for the Lok Sabha to ₹ 25 lakhs against the present ₹ 15 lakhs per constituency.In the case of Assembly constituencies, the limit is ₹ 10 lakhs per constituency with adjustments in the case of smaller States.

Representation of the People (Second Amendment) Act, 2003

  • Section 13 AA of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provided for the designation or nomination of an officer as the district election officer for each district in a State, other than a Union Territory, to coordinate and supervise the work relating to preparation and revision of electoral rolls and conduct of elections for all the Parliamentary, Assembly and Council constituencies within the district concerned.
  • The Election Commission recommended that since the Union Territories are now divided into districts for administrative efficiency, amendment of section 13AA is necessary to provide for designation or nomination of district election officers in the Union Territories including the National Capital Territory of Delhi, which will facilitate better management of elections in the Union territories.

Election and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003

  • The Election and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003 was enacted on September 11,2003.
  • The said Act provides that political parties may accept contributions voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a Government company.
  • It also provides that donations received by the political parties should be declared in the prescribed form to the Election Commission.
  • The Act also provides for State funding in the form of free supply of copies of electoral rolls and other materials prescribed by rules to the candidates of recognised political parties.