The Election Commission of India
In a recent development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has proposed multiple amendments to the Representation of People Act, 1951. The main aim of these proposals is to increase transparency and accountability among the candidates running for elections.
Concerns with Cash Donations in Elections
Investigations have revealed some alarming issues with political donations. Certain political parties that reported zero donations had audited account statements showing receipt of substantial amounts. This indicates large-scale cash transactions under the limit of Rs. 20,000. Another problem highlighted by the EC was the violation of foreign exchange regulations.
ECI’s Key Recommendations
The ECI has put forward a series of key recommendations, including reporting of all donations above Rs. 2,000 as per established rules. Political parties are expected to disclose all donations more than Rs. 20,000 via a contribution report submitted to the EC. Furthermore, it suggested that digital transactions or account payee cheque transfers should be mandatory for all expenses higher than Rs. 2,000 to a single entity/person.
The ECI also proposed limiting cash donations to 20% or a maximum of Rs. 20 crore of the total funds received by a party, whichever is lesser. It recommends each candidate should open a separate bank account for election purposes and conduct all expenses and receipts through this account.
Additionally, the ECI has called for electoral reforms to ensure that no foreign donations enter party funds. It emphasizes on segregating foreign donations at initial stages and introducing efficient reporting formats.
About the Election Commission of India (ECI)
The ECI is an autonomous constitutional body responsible for administering Union and State election processes in India. It supervises elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the offices of the President and Vice President. Initially composed of a single election commissioner, the ECI now consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners, a change brought about by the Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989.
Constitutional Provisions for ECI
Part XV of the Indian constitution outlines the guidelines for elections and sets up a commission for these matters. The ECI was established in line with the Constitution on 25th January 1950.
Articles 324 to 329 detail the powers, functions, tenure, eligibility, etc., of the commission and the members. For example, Article 324 addresses the superintendence, direction, and control of elections vested in an Election Commission. In contrast, Article 326 focuses on elections to the House of the People and the Legislative Assemblies of States based on adult suffrage.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)
In a 2017 examination, a question posed to candidates was: Consider the following statements:
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.
The correct answer to this question was statement 3 only.
As the ECI moves forward with its proposed changes to the Representation of People Act, 1951, it seeks to ensure greater transparency, accountability, and integrity in the Indian electoral process.
