From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Union Minister for Law and Justice, Dr. M. Veerappa Moily on Sunday underscored the need for a comprehensive electoral reforms to make the democratic polity of India more vibrant and resilient.
Moily informed that the electoral reforms bill would definitely be placed before the Parliament by December this year, if not in the coming monsoon session.
Addressing the 7th and the last Regional Consultation on Electoral Reforms here on Sunday, Dr. Moily said the regional consultative meets jointly organized by the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Election Commission of India since September 2010 has been aimed at arriving at a national consensus to bring in the much-needed reforms to cleanse the electoral system and to make it more stronger. “A holistic approach is the need of the hour to bring about electoral reforms and in taking forward the democratic polity of our country,” he said.
He said the aim is to give voice to even the micro segments of the people in the country in the true spirit of democracy and the entire people wuld be taken into confidence in carrying out electoral reforms. He said the draft of the bill would be made vailable in the website for information to all.
Dr. Moily underlined the need for decriminalization of politics by preventing criminals from entering into the corridors of power. “We have to stop criminals from entering into the electoral fray to prevent democracy from being polluted,” he said. He pointed out that necessary legislation would be enacted to dispose off criminal cases within three years to meet both ends of justice.
On anti-defection law, Dr. Moily said stringent steps are in the offing to prevent members violating the anti-defection law from entering into the electoral arena for at least six years.
Dr. Moily further stressed on the need for arresting the flow of black money during elections, reduction in proliferation of candidates, restriction on contesting elections from more than one constituency, restrictions on opinion polls, prohibition on campaigning during final 48 hours before polling, including newspaper advertisements and door-to-door visits and stern action against those making false expenditure statement.
The Union Law Minister assured the CEC that cases involving election petitions and disputes would be resolved within a stipulated period of six months.