Centre yet to give more teeth to election commission: Ex-chief election commissioner

Former chief election commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami on Thursday said that a proposal made by the election commission of India (ECI) in 1998 to enable it to issue orders regulating registration and de-registration of political parties is gathering dust at the Union ministry of law.

Gopalswami was speaking on 'free and fair elections -- challenges ahead' at the Professor SV Kogekar Memorial Lecture organised by the Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies at Symbiosis Vishwabhavan.

Referring to political parties and their various undemocratic tactics to win elections, Gopalaswami said, "The number of registered parties steadily rose after 2003 and, at one point of time, the commission used to receive applications every week for new registration."

"The Supreme Court had ruled that the ECI could only register and not de-register parties unless it follows specific conditions for registration empowered in this regard, and the relevant act does not provide stringent conditions for registration or grounds for non-registration. There is no cancellation of any registration and so once registered parties can continue in perpetuity," he said.

Speaking about the low voting turnout among the elite class, the former CEC said, "After the terrorist attack on Mumbai on November 26, 2008, the well educated, elite class spilled over into the streets of Mumbai but did not turn up in the following general elections held in 2009 summer."

"The polling in downtown Mumbai was an abysmal 22% in some of the booths," he said.

Referring to some election figures in Pune, he said, "A booth in Kasba Peth assembly constituency registered around 50% of voting but another booth in the same constituency registered merely 8%."

Pointing out the penetration of criminals in assemblies and parliament, he said, "A total of 46% of criminals managed to enter the assembly after the 2004 election and that rose to 50% in the 2009 assembly election. We should thank the apex court's directives and not our parliamentarians, as information about the pending criminal cases, assets and liabilities is required to be submitted in the form of an affidavit at the time of filing the nomination forms," he said.

Suggesting reforms in the election process, he said, "Voting should be made compulsory and voters must be given an option of denying vote to contestants."

He also added that a strong Lokpal and Lokayukt Bill are needed as reforms are only possible in a corruption-free political system.