Why Are Electoral Reforms Necessary? Pg8

Context: - The Election Commission (EC) has invited political parties to discuss strengthening the electoral process after allegations of electoral roll manipulation and concerns over EVMs and VVPATs. - Issues like duplicate EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) numbers, criminalization of politics, and election expenditure have raised the demand for electoral reforms. ### Legal Provisions Governing Elections - Article 324 of the Constitution vests the superintendence, direction, and control of electoral rolls and elections to Parliament and State Legislatures in the EC. - The Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951, along with the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, govern the preparation of electoral rolls. - EVMs have been used in all constituencies since 2004, and VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slips have been introduced since 2019. ### Key Issues in Electoral Process 1. Concerns Over EVMs and VVPATs - Demand for reverting to paper ballot voting dismissed by the Supreme Court in 2024. - PILs seeking 100% matching of VVPAT slips with EVM counts have been filed. Currently, only 5% of EVMs are verified. 2. Duplicate EPIC and Electoral Roll Manipulation - Allegations of multiple voter registrations and concerns over errors in the RENOTER database. - Reports of bogus voters, voter suppression, and tampering of rolls. 3. Criminalization of Politics - 43% of candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections had criminal charges, including serious offenses like murder and kidnapping. - Demand for publicizing criminal records of candidates more effectively. 4. Election Expenditure and Vote Buying - Political parties exceed spending limits using unaccounted money and campaigners’ funds. - The EC has power to withdraw a party’s recognition if it does not file proper financial disclosures. ### Proposed Electoral Reforms 1. Reforming EVM and VVPAT Matching - Increase VVPAT verification from 5% to a statistically significant level. - Allow for re-verification of EVM votes in case of serious discrepancies. 2. Preventing Electoral Roll Manipulation - Strengthen Aadhaar-Voter ID linking and improve RENOTER database accuracy. - Introduce real-time verification mechanisms to detect and prevent duplicate voter registrations. 3. Addressing Criminalization of Politics - Mandatory media publication of candidates’ criminal records. - Strict disqualification rules for candidates with serious charges. 4. Regulating Election Expenditure and Freebies - Strengthen monitoring of election spending and strict action against parties violating financial disclosure norms. - State funding of elections to reduce dependence on corporate donations.

Mains Mock Question:

"What are the major challenges in India’s electoral process? Suggest key reforms to ensure free and fair elections."