Events
& Issues
New Delhi, 24 April
2019
Election Funding
TRANSPARENCY CRITICAL
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
The Supreme Court
recently directed all political parties to reveal donations they had received
in electoral bonds and the identities of the donors to the Election Commission
in a sealed cover by end of May. Obviously, this is a right step aimed at bringing
transparency to the system of anonymous poll funding. It aptly pointed out that
if the identity of the buyers of electoral bonds remained unknown, the
government’s efforts to curtail black money would be futile. An NGO, the
Association of Democratic Reforms, had moved a petition challenging the
validity of electoral bonds
It is indeed
surprising that the government, which had declared its intent to curb black
money is unwilling to disclose the names of the donors. Black money operating
in the system is well known and the nexus between business houses and political
parties has been the cause of such money increasing day by day. It is indeed
tragic that the judiciary has to intervene even in such matters to remind the
government of the need for transparency.
Close on the heels of
this order, it has come to light that as on December 13, 2018, regional
political parties like the BSP, which scored a blank in the 2014 Lok Sabha
elections, had Rs 669 crore deposited in eight accounts of public sector banks
in the National Capital Region. It was followed by the SP, which won very few
seats, with Rs 471 crore in bank accounts. How can these parties marshal such
huge amounts and from where does this money come from? Do the common people
give them money or does it from corporate houses?
There is no reason to
believe that the present elections are fought with clean money. While business
houses fund election campaigns of major parties, mostly through unofficial
sources, a very small amount is realised from party members. The rising cost of
poll funding is a signal that, whichever party may come to power, costs would
increase after the elections. This is obviously because the interests of those
business groups who funded the elections have to be recovered and/or they have
to be helped financially.
According to
political analysts, India’s elections this time may cost anything between $8 to
$ 10 billion or between Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 crore, much more than the
spending in the US elections. The costs have been increasing as in some rural
and semi-urban constituencies, votes are purchased in lieu of cash or other
gifts like cycles, saris to women, watches etc. The poor villagers who are not
educated enough to evaluate performances and vote accordingly, prefer to give their
votes to whoever gives them something in cash or kind.
State funding of
elections has been an option but there has not been any progress so far as none
of the major political parties have evinced interest in the matter. The reason
for this is because the rich and powerful leaders spend far in excess of
permissible limits and resort to unethical manner in garnering votes. The whole
system is becoming more and more corrupt.
Political leaders
talk about our democratic tradition but actually the elections are somewhat a
farce. It has been found that those who contest elections under the banner of
major political parties belong to the rich class and come from business
backgrounds. This is authenticated by the fact that 80 per cent of this Lok
Sabha members declared assets worth Rs 1 crore and above. Moreover out of this,
more than 50 per cent’s assets were well over Rs 6-7 crore. It can easily be
stated that a person who declares his or her assets at Rs 5 crore should
actually have various types of assets whose actual market value may be not less
than Rs 12-15 crore.
The reason why
unscrupulous people stand in elections is either because of their muscle power
or financial power. Very few clean and educated stand in elections and just a
handful may get elected by god’s grace. Statistics reveal that a large section,
may be over 50 per cent of the elected members, have criminal cases against
them.
A not very recent
trend is to nominate film actors or actresses to Parliament and even in
Assemblies seats. The only reason to
nominate them is because they have enough financial resources though they may
not have any background of doing social and political work. Moreover, dramatics
is resorted to by our political leaders for garnering votes as they have
virtually no answer to economic problems facing the country. In today’s world
dedicated work for the community or society is no indicator of being selected
as a candidate.
Only among the
communist parties is there some sort of transparency. While their leaders
mostly come from low middle class backgrounds, their lifestyles are simple.
However, the money power that is ruling the elections in the last 2-3 decades
has been a barrier to their success in elections.
How can this state of
things change? There has been a clamour and some political parties have given
over 25-30 per cent Lok Sabha to women. But there is no demand to reserve seats
for the rural poor – the small or marginal farmers, the tribals and the dalits.
Why shouldn’t there be reservation for the poor and the backward sections of
society?
If there is no
reservation for this vast majority – around 40 per cent of our population – how
will their genuine demands fructify? How will development aimed at this section
be identified and carried out judiciously? The reason for lopsided development with
focus on cities and projects aimed at the rich and upper middle sections has
been due to the neglect of this section and their demands not being heard and
considered.
The composition of a
Lok Sabha is vital for proper policies being formulated to take the country
forward. The outlook of its members, their education and dedication for a cause
can develop the country on the right lines. What we are witnessing during the
campaigns are speeches by leaders dragging in religion, military or
achievements of scientists, which do not qualify for rational behaviour. It is
indeed distressing that the Election Commission had to bar four senior leaders,
including one Chief Minister and one former Chief Minister from campaigning for
a few days due to ‘derogatory’ or provocative remarks.
Thus the way
campaigning is going on does not augur well for the country. There is very
little talk of the problems and challenges being faced by the country and the
right strategy to take the country out. Keeping in view the current
developments, one is provoked to question whether the leaders, who may be
elected, are at all capable to rule the country in a judicious and transparent
manner? ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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