ELECTORAL REFORMS
Based on the recommendations
of the Committee on Electoral Reforms (Dinesh Goswami Committee)
and the Committee on State Funding of Elections (Indrajit Gupta
Committee) on Electoral Reforms, the Government introduced four
Bills in the Rajya Sabha in 1990 and one Bill in the Lok Sabha
in 2002. The Bills that were introduced are ‘The Chief Election
Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Conditions of Service)
Bill, 1990, the Constitution (70th Amendment) Bill,
1990, the Constitution (71st Amendment) Bill, 1990
and the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, 1990. Of
these, the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners
(Conditions of Service) Bill, 1990 was converted into an Act of
Parliament (Act No. 11) in 1991. The other three Bills were withdrawn
in 1994 for introducing a more comprehensive Bill on Electoral
Reforms.
The Government introduced
on March 19, 2002, the Election and Other Related Laws (Amendment)
Bill, 2002, based on Indrajit Gupta Committee Report and following
an intensive discussion with the leaders of the political parties
on September 13, 2001. This Bill, which is intended to provide
for State Funding of Elections, is pending before the Standing
Committee of Parliament on Home Affairs.
