Cleaning Election Process for Fighting Corruption
The following glaring cracks in our election system have been pointed out by one lawyer in a social media:
1. A neta can contest elections from two seats but a citizen cannot vote from two places.
2. A neta can fight election from jail but a citizen in jail cannot vote.
3. One cannot get into govt service if s/he is in jail once but a neta with jail record can become PM or President or ministers.
4. One needs a min educational qualification or skill for entering a service but one without education can become education minister, one without any knowledge on finance can become finance minister, one with criminal record can become a home minister.
5. Political parties are at liberty not to disclose source of income or donation and not to file returns with Income Tax Dept. Ordinary citizen cannot.
We have made a mockery of democracy by making no restriction in entering the governance process for illiterates and criminals. The fate is what we all experience today. Mr. T N Seshan was the first person to show what Election Commission can do by playing within the rules. It is high time that EC plays the role in first round of screening before one can seek public mandate in an election. more