In order to restore the confidence of the public in the democratic electoral system, many electoral reforms have been recommended from time to time. Tarkunde Committee and Goswami Committee were particularly appointed to study and report on the scheme for Electoral Reforms in the year 1974 and 1990 respectively. The Election Commission’s recommendations in 1998 and the Indrajit Gupta Committee Report of 1998 also produced a comprehensive set of proposals regarding electoral reforms. Out of these recommendations some have been implemented. However, in view of the increasing role of money and muscle power, criminalization of politics and misuse of Government machinery more stringent changes and reforms are necessary to neutralize these disturbing distortions in the electoral system accompanied by honest and strict enforcement of the rules in a time bound manner. Following reforms are proposed to address these problems some of which have been proposed by others in the past.
- A candidate must have filed his income tax return for the previous two years from the constituency which he/she wants to represent.
- No change of party or change of status to independent be permitted till the announcement of the next elections.
- All personnel involved in the conduct of election by virtue of being on election duty including police and security personnel and their voting age family members must be able to cast their vote just as easily as a citizen not on election duty.
- The total expenditure permissible by a candidate should be related to the minimum daily wages prevalent at that time in that state/area. The maximum total expenditure should be set as a percentage, say, 5%, per registered voter of the constituency.
- All candidates must be required to submit audited accounts with receipts of poll expenditure and the EC must have adequate auditing manpower to have them checked with in 30 days. Over expenditure by 5% or more or discrepancies in the accounts amounting to over 5% be grounds for disqualification.
- The security deposit should be equal to 10% of the expenditure limit set by the EC and be counted in the total poll expenditure of the candidate.
- Do not allow candidates to contest from more than one constituency in an election: This is necessary to curtail the unnecessary expenditure that election commission has to make for holding bye-election when a candidate contests election from more than one constituency and wins from all or more than one of the constituencies he has contested from.
- A political party must be allowed to be formed only by a person who has at least been once elected to a house through direct elections and not by nomination. Other guidelines must also apply.
- Each candidate must be able to correctly speak, write and read in the official language of the state (from where he/she is contesting the election)or in Hindi.
- The upper age limit to contest an election should be set as the retirement age for the central govt. employees plus two years.
- The candidate must be found medically and mentally fit, to discharge the normal duties of a legislator, by a team of doctors appointed by the EC, to be allowed to contest.
- All candidates and their close relatives must declare their total assets before and after, if elected (each year), to the public.
- The size of the Council of Ministers must be limited to 10% of the legislators in larger houses (over 120) members and to 15% in smaller ones (less than 100). A minimum of 12 ministers be permitted for even the smallest house.
- The donation by an individual or company to a candidate must not exceed 5% of the total expenditure permissible. The total donation made by an individual or company to all candidates in an election must not exceed 50% of the total permissible expenditure by one candidate. All donations given and received must be in public knowledge.
- Make false declarations in election affidavits by a candidate a criminal offense.
- Ban publication of exit/opinion polls results till voting is over for all phases at all the places where elections are to take place as per the EC’s notification.
- Abolish the first-past-the-post system. The winning candidate must be required to secure 50%+1 vote. This may require a second round of election to be held if none of the candidates in the fray is able to get 50%+1 of the total number of votes polled in the first round. All major national political parties need to agree to this change.
- Use common electoral rolls in the union and state elections.
- The electronic voting machines must be made temper proof and hacking proof and must be proven to be so to the satisfaction of the experts and the political parties. As a safeguard, paper back-up may be provided for cross verification.