Electoral Reforms, Suggestions for Electoral Reforms, Punitive

Doorsteptutor material for competitive exams is prepared by world's top subject experts: get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.

To curb money power in elections following measures are being adopted in the TN state assembly, 2011 elections

  • There are two types of measures: Preventive and Punitive
  • Preventive
    • Advertisements in the press to be issued to educate voters of their rights and responsibilities, besides highlighting ethical voting
    • Meetings with NGOs and citizens forums and appeal to political parties and candidates for self-restraint

Punitive

  • CEOs of the state would identify those constituencies which were prone to high expenditure and corrupt practices. Large number of assistant expenditure observers and more number of flying squads and surveillance teams would be posted in these constituencies
  • Expenditure observer to be appointed for each district
  • Each candidate to open a separate account for election expenditure
  • All election expenditure are to be incurred by issuing cheques
  • Banks would be required to report to the Commission any suspicious withdrawal of money exceeding ₹ 1 lakh
  • Set up a 24⚹7 call centre and complaint monitoring mechanism
  • Static surveillance teams would keep a watch on large quantities of cash or illicit liquor or any suspicious item being carried in the constituencies
  • District level media certification and monitoring committees would go into the entire process of media advertisements to check paid news

Suggestions for Electoral Reforms

  • Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Election Rules: Give the voters a provision in electronic voting machines to enable voters to exercise the option of not casting their votes. This proposal has been suggested by the CEC Qureshi to the Union Govt. This would help tackle impersonation
  • Increase the ceiling for LS election from 25 lac to 40 lac and from assembly election from 10 lac to 16 lac