Electoral Reforms

With a view to carrying out comprehensive electoral reforms, a Core-Committee has been constituted on 1st October, 2010 under the Chairmanship of an Additional Solicitor General. Giving this information in written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister of Law & Justice informed the House that the talking points of the Committee included (i) Criminalization of Politics; (ii) Funding of Elections; (iii) Conduct and Better Management of Elections; (iv) Regulation of Political Parties; (v) Audit and Finances of Political Parties; (vi) Review of Anti-Defection Law. The Committee under the aegis of Legislative Department and in co-sponsorship of the Election Commission of India conducted seven regional consultations at Bhopal, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Bengaluru and Guwahati, wherein the stakeholders have been consulted, who inter-alia included leaders and workers of the political parties, legislators, legal luminaries, representatives of NGOs, eminent persons, civil servants (serving and retired), students etc. and views have been gathered. On the basis of the inputs received in all these consultations, legislative process as may be considered necessary will be initiated by the Government in due course, Shri Khurshid informed the House.