The Required Electoral Reforms In India

Who has forgotten the time when Indira Gandhi, while she was in office was cross-examined in the court having been accused of being involved in electoral malpractices, or the time when several allegations were made on the present ruling party regarding the hacking of EVM's or the fact that the people who represent us in various legislatures and the parliament are nowhere close to being a qualified representative, let alone a leader.

The fact that about 81% of the parliamentarians are millionaires and ¼ of the total lot is criminals are not only alarming but also makes it blatantly clear how India is in dire need of electoral reforms.

Some of the reforms that can be suggested for the free and fair election are as follows:

(1)Independent election commission

To make the democracy function in a better way, we need the elections which are not free and fair only for the namesake, but also in reality. That, that the incidents of booth capturing, and coercive voting and EVM hacking for that matter.

(2)Educational qualification for contestants

A learned leader can lead the pack in a better way. Most of the world leaders who have made a mark in history were all well read. Thus, one must not ignore the value of educational qualifications while choosing a political representative. Hence, it should be made a legally binding criterion for a person to be well qualified to be eligible to contest in elections.

(3) No criminal record of contestants

Laws should be amended in order to disqualify the convicts of serious crimes from contesting elections. This will not only preserve social law and order but also allow the deserving candidates to contest the elections and work towards making India an ideal state.

(4) Controlled expenditure during elections

A limit for expenditure by parties during elections should be set in order to maintain equal competition between all the parties and to prevent corruption.

(5)Awareness should be spread among the voters

Elections are the biggest festival of any democratic country. India, being the largest democracy of the world, must ensure that the elections are conducted in a way wherein all the voters are aware of things such as:

1. The vote must be cast regardless of the contestant's caste, religion or colour.

2. Criteria such as education, devotion towards public welfare should be kept in mind.

3. Voters should deny and report bribery of any kind.

While casting their vote, one must keep this in mind that their vote is not about their political inclination, or caste, or religion for that matter, it is about the kind of education their children will receive, the kind of healthcare their family will receive and the kind of policies that they shall be able to avail. To sum up, their vote is all about the country they will get to live in for several years.