New Delhi: The Election Commission is meeting all political parties on Wednesday to discuss the modalities for the proposed state funding of elections.
Some time back, the Union Cabinet of the UPA government had approved, in principle, the state funding of elections. It also has the consent of L K Advani, the Leader of the Opposition. The Left, too, has agreed to the proposal.
The meeting, where all major political parties and about 44 state parties are taking part, will discuss the issue threadbare to work out the necessary modalities in order to turn the proposal into a reality.
In fact, the concept has broad approval of all political parties.
Election campaigns cost crores of rupees and political parties become heavily dependent on private contributions from corporate houses, entrepreneurs and others who then seek to influence policy and governance.
State funding of elections is seen as an attempt to root out corruption. The UPA had committed itself to electoral reforms in the Common Minimum Programme.
The Rs 1,200-crore plan proposes to provide non-cash aid, probably in the form of publicity material, petrol etc to candidates of recognised political parties. As per the proposal, the expenses will be shared equally between the Centre and the states.
This may bring in an additional annual expense of nearly Rs 600 crore per state despite the fact that most of the states have been going through deep fiscal constraints for the past few years.
However, this might mean a hole in the tax-payers pockets even as the state takes the extra burden of funding campaigning expenses like fuel costs, office rents, poster printing and arrangements for the candidates' stay in each polling states on the poll day.
The proposal also moots rent-free accommodation for candidates at the headquarters of recognised political parties apart from rent-free telephone and STD facility.
The Poll Panel will fix the quantities of all these items to be provided to the poll candidates.
It will require an amendment to the Representation of People’s Act to enforce this provision
In its present form, the scheme favours only established political outfits and independents and non-recognised parties will no be able to tap these resources funded out of public money.
The scheme will, in effect, discourage the emergence of new political forces. It also discourages individual citizen seeking to contest elections on his own.
Under existing laws, each candidate fighting parliamentary elections is permitted to spend between Rs 10 lakhs and Rs 25 lakhs depending on the size of the constituency.
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