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State-funding of Elections
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Some thinking people advocate State-funding of elections as one of the most effective measures to rid our electoral system of the scourge of money and muscle power. On the basis of your experience and knowledge, express your views on the proposition under deliberation.
Despite occasional hiccups if the Indian democracy has acquired the image of a vigorous and vibrant form of government, it has also earned the sobriquet of money and muscle-driven democracy. Quite true and troubling description of our electoral process in some cases, the right thinking people and parties are of the strong opinion that State-funding of elections would go a long way in minimising the insidious influence of both money and muscle power in our otherwise quite fair and free conduct of elections.
The extent to which money power has become the driving force in elections, it is not irrelevant and irreverent to say that most candidates with limited means at their disposal find themselves handicapped and victims of denial of level playing ground. This amounts to negation of equal opportunity to one and all, as far as elections are concerned. In order to overcome this obvious flaw and disadvantage, State-funding of elections is one way that should be fully explored and worked out.
No doubt, State-funding of elections is one of the most immediate and urgent electoral reforms that are required to cleanse the system that has become money-centric. While the idea is good, there are some imponderables that may crop us during the course of raising funds by the Central and State governments, the distribution of such funds, whether in cash or kind, among a plethora of parties, both national as well as regional. It is too simplistic to assume that State-funding of elections or more transparent flow of business money to political parties and politicians will eliminate the evil impact of money over elections. State-funding has also its limitations with multiple parties and candidates. Since the elections have become a very expensive affair, State-funding may not help much in arresting the rot that results from excessive flow of money expenditure that candidates tend to spend in the hope of making much more money or assets once they get elected. Even if the State-funding is only in kind, such as free supply of electoral/publicity material, diesel, petrol, vehicles etc., the expenses incurred by parties, friends, relatives of a candidate, may defeat the very intent and purpose of the proposition.
But still, with all these apprehensions lurking, there is no harm in hammering out a way so that State-funding of elections gets a start, with the hope that the initiative would prove a healthy step in the right direction.
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