Parliament has made a law to ensure free and
fair elections and a very comprehensive system of
elections has been developed in the country. The
experiences of the last Elections have shown the
merits and demerits of the system to the people.
Minor changes have since been made in the system,
still our electoral process in beset with many
problems:
First, is the mounting expenditure of elections,
incurred both by the Government on organising
them and, more particularly, by the parties and
candidates on fighting them. The political parties
and their candidates have, therefore, come increasingly
to rely on business sources. The business
contributions are mostly in cash and from
unaccounted money. Another source is the
wealth amassed by the gangs of anti-social elements,
smugglers, dacoits, and industrial mafias.
Secondly, even more than money power factor
which vitiates the elections is the muscle power,
acting in aid of the candidates belonging to dominant
castes and communities in a constituency.
Thirdly, it has also been observed that due to
large number of candidates, the winner candidate
very often wins by minority votes. The percentage
of votes polled by political parties also does
not correspond to their percentage of seats. The
majority party generally wins with minority votes.
Fourthly, the dependence of the Election Commission
on the central and state governments for
the conduct of the polls is another serious defect
in the existing electoral system. Many Presiding
Officers at the polling booths have been caught
stamping the ballot papers and putting them inside
the ballot boxes during the night before the
poll.
Fifthly, candidates with criminal records are contesting
elections and getting elected by using
strong arms.
