New Delhi, November 24
Stating that poll reform has a high priority on the Vajpayee government’s agenda, Union Home Minister L.K. Advani asserted that the state funding of elections would not help solve all poll-related problems.

“State financing of elections by itself is not going to solve all problems. Corruption is an evil which has to be attacked from all sides. What would be primarily achieved by a scheme of poll grants is that all parties and candidates in the field, who really matter, will be assured a minimum wherewithal for electoral campaigning,” Mr Advani said at the Commonwealth Secretariat workshop on “Money and Democratic Politics” held here by the Election Commission and CII.

Stating that the Vajpayee government has begun to take action on the much-needed electoral reforms, Mr Advani cited the recent decision to amend the law relating to election of Rajya Sabha members.

“They (RS members) will now be elected through open balloting so that there is no scope for malpractices in the form of cross-voting or of buying MLAs,” Mr Advani said

He said the government was actively considering two reports on poll reforms — one, the unanimous report of the all-party Indrajit Gupta committee on poll financing and second, Congress party’s report on the issue of corporate donations.

The Gupta committee report recommendations speak of the kind of assistance that could be given by the state with no public funding in cash but in kind, he said.

The government is considering the possibility of individual contributions and see whether some tax relief can be given on that, he said.

Whatever legislation may be needed to curb the use of money power will be brought to stop the practice, he added.

Stating that elections are a costly affair and are becoming more expensive, Mr Advani said funds generally come from business houses not in cheques but in black money.

“However, dependence on sources for large contributions is never a happy experience. And, if necessary care and diligence is not shown by the leadership, it can have very negative consequences on a political organisation,” he said.

Stressing the need for putting in place constitutional safeguards and institutional mechanisms to check the influence of money power on elections, he said one of the measures could be state-funding of poll.