Law Commission invites suggestions on electoral reforms
31 May 2013
The issue of 'Electoral Reforms' has been referred by the central government to the Law Commission of India for suggesting comprehensive measures for changes in laws relating to elections.
Acknowledging the importance of the subject, the Commission has prepared a consultation paper for feedback from various stakeholders.
The election system comprises a complex web of different nuances – legal, political, economic, social, religious, ethical and moral and this complexity makes the task of suggesting reforms quite challenging.
No single aspect of election process can be looked at in isolation from others. Most, if not all areas of these aspects, are of the nature where law either interacts or need to interact more closely. The focus of the consultation paper is, therefore, to identify those areas and aspects where law should play more prominent and engaging role.
Through the consultation paper, the Commission has solicited views / suggestions of political parties, states, civil society, and all other stakeholders, among other things, on the issues:
- Qualifications / disqualifications of those seeking election, or disqualification of the already elected
- Modes, methods and quantum of funding of elections
- Transparency, accountability and sources of spending by political parties and their respective candidates during elections
- Regulations and ethical conduct of political parties or candidates participating in elections
- Filing of false affidavits as a ground for disqualification
- Electronic and print media and the impact of 'paid news'
- Quantum of punishment for electoral offences and
- Adjudication of election disputes, etc
Consultation Paper is available for free downloads on the Law Commission of India website – http://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in and written comments / suggestions should be sent by 30th June, 2013to the secretary, Law Commission of India, Hindustan Times House, 14th Floor, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001 or by E-mail : lci-dla@nic.in or by hand / post latest.
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