While watching an ad of a political party on the television, a thought quickly rushed to my mind that“what could have been done for the upping of the nation using the money that is being brunt out for such ads and from where do these political parties get such a huge stack of money to invest during the campaign”? In a country like India where poverty and unemployment are one of the biggest and probably the most prior issues, should such a huge lump of money be invested on election campaigns?
Let contemplate on the bankroll to be blown on 2014 Loksabha elections and sources from where they are procured. According to studies, the 2014 general election is going to be the most expensive election in Indian history, with a lump of Rs. 30,000 crores being spent by the government, political parties and candidates. It will be second only to the most expensive US presidential campaign of all time. And also the biggest portion of this expense will be the money spent by candidates and parties on election campaigning. According to communications services firm Madison Media, India’s advertising industry is itself expected to receive business worth a staggering $800 million. As numerous loopholes and lack of transparency mar the current election finance system in India, candidates and parties are able to raise and spend money without making any declarations to the sources. Industrialist and Member of Parliament, Rahul Bajaj, clearly said that black money funds political parties. “Parties do not raise money by cheques and by its small members. All money comes in through black money. Black money doesn't come from heaven.” From some sources it has been found that this black money comes from different sources ranging from illegal donations by prominent capitalists to the underworld. So it can be verily asserted that a whale of money is being dissipated in the elections.
Well, let us speculate over the other aspects of the utilization of this money. Can’t this money be utilized to give better opportunities to the youth of the nation? Can’t it be used to strengthen the internal security of the nation? The answer is yes! But the political parties only focus on their own interest rather than having concern over the critical problems and sufferings of the nation by which it is going through. Undeniably 30000 crores is a huge amount and it can be used for the pogey and the up growth of the nation.
Now taking an account of the use of black money which is again a blot on the face of democracy and elections, The National Commission for the Review of Working of Constitution (NCRCW) highlighted the problem of black money, where it recommended in unequivocal terms, “Candidates should be made subject to proper statutory audit of the amounts they spend. These accounts should be monitored through a system of checking and cross-checking through the income-tax returns filed by the candidates, parties and their well-wishers.” It also stated, “Audit should not only be mandatory but it should be enforced by the Election Commission.”
But it is evident that the current regulatory mechanisms are not enough to put a check on the growing influence of black money in elections. There is a need to take comprehensive steps and corroborate financial information received for both parties and candidates from various sources. Neither the Election commission nor the constitutional reforms alone can control the misuse of money. Even the Apex Court’s directions to effectively follow the cases of persons having huge black money in foreign banks have been shamelessly compromised by the ruling combination which adopted a half-hearted approach at the fag end of their tenure. Time is far off for political parties taking sincere approach on such issues. The irony is that the politicians and their crony capitalists have the bulk of the black money which they liberally use during the elections when the Election Commission and other bodies remain helpless. The elections in the country have down-graded to battle of money-muscle power. The hard reality is that it is not the dearth of Acts or institutions that defeat the battle against the misuse of money, but the lack of commitment and sincerity of mainstream political parties or their leaders. These reforms require political will and action. And hence the question again remains that “Are Indian political parties open to reforming and strengthening the rules and regulations that lead to transparency and accountability in raising and spending money?”
EXCERPT:- stuffthatmattersblog.com
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