The Law Commission of India on 4 July 2013 extended the last date from 30 June 2013 to 31 July 2013 for sending comments/ suggestions on its Consultation Paper on Electoral Reforms. The issue of Electoral Reforms has been referred by the Central Government to the Law Commission of India for consideration and for suggesting comprehensive measures for changes in laws relating to elections. Consequently the Commission prepared a Consultation Paper eliciting feedback from various stakeholders. The Commission, through the Consultation Paper, has solicited views/ suggestions of political parties, states, civil society, and all other stakeholders, inter-alia, on the aforesaid issues.
The election system comprises a complex web of different nuances – legal, political, economic, social, religious, ethical and moral and this complexity makes the task of suggesting reforms quite challenging. No single aspect of election process can be looked at in isolation from others. Most, if not all areas of these aspects, are of the nature where law either interacts or need to interact more closely. The focus of the Consultation Paper is, therefore, to identify those areas and aspects where law should play more prominent and engaging role.
The Commission proposes to focus largely on issues such as: qualifications/disqualifications of those seeking election, or disqualification of the persons already elected; modes, methods and quantum of funding of elections; transparency, accountability and sources of spending by political parties and their respective candidates during elections; regulations and ethical conduct of political parties or candidates participating in elections; filing of false affidavits – A ground for disqualification; electronic and print Media – impact of paid news; quantum of punishment for electoral offences; and adjudication of election disputes etc.
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