The stranglehold of political parties on the electoral and political system continues to increase with time. The anti-defection law, passed in 1985, formalised the control of political parties even on Parliament. Despite a large number of candidates on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), the candidates with a realistic chance of getting elected are two […]
Top Posts
Even in May, no demand for Electoral Bonds worth Rs 1000 and Rs 10000
There was an intense debate around the introduction of electoral bonds by the government. Data obtained from SBI reveals that there is hardly any demand for electoral bonds of lower denomination even in the month of May. Not a single bond in the denomination Rs 1000 & Rs 10000 was purchased in May, while 99.7% […]
A question of election funding
Illustration by Tanmoy Chakraborty The Election Commission of Indias reported response, to a Right to Information (RTI) application, stating that political parties are not within the purview of the RTI created quite a stir. To quote the ECI: [The] requisite information is not available [with] the Commission. This is related to political parties and […]
Know your leaders: 24% of newly-elected Karnataka MLAs face serious criminal charges
By Maj. Gen. Anil Verma (Retd) The results are in for Karnataka but the jury is out as to who will provide a stable government due to the hung verdict of the electorate. The next two weeks will be full of political action and drama with the Governor, Opposition, BJP and the Supreme Court […]
Need to change electoral system to serve people – By Prof. Trilochan Sastry
Even a T-20 match could not have been more exciting. But the stakes in elections are far higher than in a cricket match. Right up to the end, the BJP was moving towards a decisive win and there were celebrations about it forming a government on its own. At the last moment, the results […]
No demand for Electoral Bonds of smaller denomination
There was an intense debate around the introduction of electoral bonds by the government. Data obtained from SBI reveals that there is hardly any demand for electoral bonds of smaller denomination while 99.9% of bonds sold in terms of amount are of Rs 10 lakh & Rs 1 crore denomination. The Electoral Bonds were first […]
Know your candidate: 15% Karnataka poll hopefuls face criminal charges
The Karnataka state polls are scheduled for May 12. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. By Anil Verma With only a few days remaining before the Karnataka state polls scheduled for May 12, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) analysed the affidavits of about 96% of the candidates. The study revealed some shocking facts about gender disparity, as well as the […]
The Worst Fears About Electoral Bonds Have Been Confirmed
An investigation by The Quint has revealed that the much-hailed electoral bonds, which were to have ushered in an era of taint-free financing for political parties, carry a secret number “visible on the right top corner of the original document showing fluorescence when examined under Ultra Violet (UV) Light.” The saga of electoral bonds started with the Budget […]
Debate on ADR’s PIL to bring Political Parties under RTI
राष्ट्रीय राजनीतिक दलों को RTI के दायरे में लाने के मामले में सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने केंद्र सरकार, चुनाव आयोग और 6 राष्ट्रीय राजनीतिक दलों को नोटिस देकर 6 हफ्तों में जवाब मांगा है। इन पार्टियों में बीजेपी, कांग्रेस, एनसीपी, बीसपी, सीपीआई और सीपीएम शामिल हैं। एडीआर ने सुप्रीम कोर्ट में याचिका दाखिल की थी। वकील […]
Sarokaar – NGOs and Government: Intentions & Actions
The government recently revoked the licenses of 4470 NGOs. These NGOs were charged with violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Many prestigious institutes fall under the ambit of this order including University of Delhi, JNU, Punjab University among others. Last year also, the government revoked the licenses of 8,975 NGOs and till now […]