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Money Power in Elections

This article explores the risks associated with the use of money power in elections and discusses innovative strategies to address this issue. It highlights the importance of transparency, monitoring, and legal provisions to ensure fair and democratic elections.

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Money Power in Elections

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  1. Money Power in Elections

  2. The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of hearts. Democracy is something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong. Mahatma Gandhi

  3. Money Power in Elections Without Money, Multi-party democracy cannot function Risks of Money Power: • Uneven Playing field and lack of fair competition • Political Exclusion – Certain sectors face disadvantage • Co-Opted politicians under campaign debts • Tainted Governance and Rule of Law undermined • Foreign funding may destabilise the Polity 3

  4. Types of election expenditure Election expenditure can be classified into two types on the basis of legal provisions Expenditurepermissible under the law [ public meetings, posters, banners, vehicle, Advertisement etc.] Illegal election expenditure [Distribution of money, liquor or any other item among electors with the purpose of influencing them] Expenditure incurred is to be within the ceiling prescribed by law Such type of expenditure is not reflected in the account of election expenses of the candidate 4

  5. Innovative methods • As per ADR reports, 80% of candidates show expenditure up to 50% of the ceiling • Cash expenditure for bribe to voters ( Morning news paper, milk pouch, roof top of bus, door panel of car, bonnet of car, ambulance, police van, helicopter, Adatiyas, Pawn Broker, SHG and NGO, Community feast, Liquor and drugs) • Paid News and media advertisements

  6. Bihar Experience • Paid News cases 121 cases and about 14 cases reported to PCI • No violence • Higher Turn out

  7. Recent experience • Tamil Nadu: 8 Writ petitions and Counter petitions by Civil Socirty organisations Total seizure of cash and goods Rs. 60 cr Punjab and UP: Cash seizure Rs.12.13 cr in Punjab and Rs 37.46 cr in UP, Liquor and drugs: In Punjab: liquor 3.57 lakh litre, Heroin 53.50 kg (3.79 kg smack,102.94 kg opium,2702.6 kg poppy husk,22.80 kg drug powder ) In UP: liquor 3.56 lakh litre

  8. Paid News Cases in UP & Punjab • In UP 42 cases of suspected paid news were reported. • In Punjab 523 cases of suspected paid news were reported.

  9. Jharkhand RS election Judgment of Jharkhand High Court: “….it is the only step of such great consequence taken by the ECI after independence of our country and in our opinion, the decision is fully supported by reason and based upon cogent and trustworthy evidence, though limited to purpose, so as to not to give chance to any person to enjoy high status of being member of parliament.”

  10. New Strategies: Election Expenditure Monitoring in Recent Assembly elections 10

  11. Change the Out-dated Procedures (COP) • Rationalise the ceiling of Expenditure • Expenditure register formats changed • Cash register and Bank register • Source of the funds are to be mentioned • Details of notice issued and replies during election process • Affidavit forms changed to show • the actual value and addition to the asset • Last return filed and Income shown • PAN of self, spouse with summary statement

  12. Revisit the Legal provisions (RLP) • Article 324 of Indian constitution • Sec 77-79 and Sec 10A of RP Act 1951 • Sec 127 and 171 of IPC • Case laws • Sivram Gowda case • Kanwarlal Gupta case • Common Cause case

  13. Susceptible Area Management (SAM) • Expenditure Sensitive Constituencies • More Expenditure Observers and Asst exp. Observers • Police Observers • CPF in Static surveillance teams • More Flying Squads and Video Surveillance Teams

  14. Capture the evidence (CTE) • Folder of evidence • Shadow Observation Register • Videograph major events and Expenditure • Capture all media advertisements • To make the candidates aware of the expenses during inspection • Disclosure and Transparency

  15. Watch out Cash (WOC) Separate bank account for the election expense Static Surveillance Teams, Flying Squads, Video Surveillance Team Associating Income Tax Department and Air Intelligence Units at Airports Involving BCAS for implementing frisking in airports FIU reports on cash withdrawal Cash withdrawal reports from bank Political Parties and leaders advised not to carry cash in the constituency

  16. Watch Out Media (WOM) Media expense constitute about 40% of illegal expense MCMC in each district with PCI nominee Notice to candidate for any advertisement in media Paid News, Surrogate Advertisements, Party aligned news Media to submit copies of declaration from the candidates for the advertisements

  17. Ear to the Ground (ETG) Toll free Number for receiving complaint from the public and civil Society and Complaint Monitoring centre in each district Complaint register maintained and Feed Back reports monitored Toll free Number by Investigation wing of Income Tax Deptt. Media report as a formal complaint complaint Contact Numbers of Exp. Observers advertised Associating the NGOs to inform malpractices

  18. Orient the Voters (OTV) SVEEP for ethical voting Advertisement through media that the taker and giver will be punished Involving college and school students to be the agents for change and prevail over their parents Involving NGOs and citizen forum to spread anti-bribe message Developing slogans and cartoons against bribe to electors

  19. Orient the Stakeholders (OTS) • Meeting with Political Parties • Meeting with candidates • Separate Agent for Exp. Monitoring • Training of the agents (Twice) • Meeting with Media houses • Training of the officials • Training of the law enforcement agencies

  20. Discretion to the Executives (DTE) To watch out Kalyan Mandap bookings To watch out community kitchens To oversee excess deposit or withdrawal of cash by NGO and SHGs To accord permission for helicopter landing after obtaining the passenger manifest and details of payments for the craft Daily monitoring of liquor production and distribution in the district and sealing the border

  21. Punish the Guilty (PTG) Steps taken to disqualify the candidates who did not show the correct income Umlesh Yadav case Ashok Chauhan case Madhu Kora case Jharkhand Rajyasabha election Action against Paid news

  22. Issues to curb Money power Cash economy Transparency of Fund raising by Political Parties and ceiling for Party expenditure Legal change for auditing by panel of auditors of ECI and to publish annually the audited accounts Legal change for making Bribery a cognizable offence Role of Civil Society Organisations to spread the message among the voters

  23. THANKS

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