Debar criminals, cleanup funding: CEC

It is believed by S.Y. Qureshi, the Chief Election Commissioner, that the proposed constitutional amendments on debarring the criminals from contesting elections and transparency in political funding will be greater fundamental reforms than the new Lokpal Act for the health of the Indian democracy. On Monday it was stated by Qureshi that, these will be the most crucial reforms to decriminalize elections and check the flow of black money in the electoral process. In Chandigarh for a review on the Punjab assembly elections due on February next year, the CEC was referring to the law ministry's proposed changes in the Representation of People's Act, which are currently on the Prime Minister's table. According to Qureshi, who is credited with pushing a raft of reforms to clean up the election system, half the battle would be won if both the amendments get implemented. The draft bill proposes to disqualify those candidates from contesting elections against whom the courts have framed the charges for alleged criminal offences punishable with a jail term of five years or more.

However, this provision will not apply in case were the charges were framed in less than a year before the date of filing the nominations, Again, the draft bill provides safeguards against the politically motivated charges too. The second proposed amendment makes it mandatory for the candidates, their parties and also functionaries to submit their accounts audited by an agency that is authorized by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). He stated that the government had realized public opinion in favor of such steps. And according to him by enacting these key reforms, the government would be doing a great national service and otherwise the lawbreakers will continue to be lawmakers. Qureshi said on the challenges before the Election Commission in holding the Punjab elections that the state had a bit of muscle power and quite a bit of money power.  He added that they anticipate a lot of liquor playing a role in the elections, but they have enough experience to understand the ground situation in each state and deal with it.

 News report by By, SM