THE APEX COURT, ELECTION COMMISSION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE MULLING STEPS TO REFORM THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. BUT THE POLITICAL CLASS MAINTAINS A BELLIGERENT STANCE.
Statistics have seldom been construed as the best way to reach the truth. But, consider these figures: 73% of elected representatives of the Jharkhand Assembly have pending criminal charges. This means that they have sufficient majority to form a government on their own! In the 15th Lok Sabha, there are 162 members with criminal backgrounds, and serious criminal charges are pending against 76 MPs. Civil society has had to fight a fierce battle with the political class who was hell-bent on concealing this information. And the judiciary played an instrumental role by giving verdicts that bolstered voters’ right to know about their candidates.
Politicians have always tweaked laws that do not suit their means. The best example is sub-section (1) of section 77 of Representation of People Act that facilitates unimaginable amount of unaccounted money in the electoral system. Anil Bairwal, National Coordinator of Association for Democratic Reforms, told B&E, “The issue of electoral reforms is very important and onus cannot be left on politicians. They have been talking to reform the system for long time but doing nothing.”
In 1999, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in Delhi High Court regarding amendment of the nomination form so that it could ask about criminal backgrounds of candidates at the time of filing the nomination form and making that information available on public request.
Statistics have seldom been construed as the best way to reach the truth. But, consider these figures: 73% of elected representatives of the Jharkhand Assembly have pending criminal charges. This means that they have sufficient majority to form a government on their own! In the 15th Lok Sabha, there are 162 members with criminal backgrounds, and serious criminal charges are pending against 76 MPs. Civil society has had to fight a fierce battle with the political class who was hell-bent on concealing this information. And the judiciary played an instrumental role by giving verdicts that bolstered voters’ right to know about their candidates.
Politicians have always tweaked laws that do not suit their means. The best example is sub-section (1) of section 77 of Representation of People Act that facilitates unimaginable amount of unaccounted money in the electoral system. Anil Bairwal, National Coordinator of Association for Democratic Reforms, told B&E, “The issue of electoral reforms is very important and onus cannot be left on politicians. They have been talking to reform the system for long time but doing nothing.”
In 1999, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in Delhi High Court regarding amendment of the nomination form so that it could ask about criminal backgrounds of candidates at the time of filing the nomination form and making that information available on public request.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
