This document proposes several electoral reforms in India to reduce the influence of money and muscle power in politics. It suggests increasing voter awareness through curriculum changes and public displays of candidate credentials. It also proposes biometric authentication of voters using Aadhar fingerprints to prevent bogus voting and automate polling tasks. Additionally, it recommends a qualifying examination for candidates to prevent illiterate individuals from running and introducing defense or presidential rule in the 3 months before elections to ensure free and fair voting. Finally, it proposes limiting candidates to one term in office to provide more opportunities and prevent irregularities.

1. ManthanTopic: Fairness at Play
Introducing electoral reforms to reduce the influence of
money and muscle power in politics
Rohit Hande
Gaurav jaisingh
Akash Desai
Parag Chaturvedi
Ravishankar Iyer
SIES GRADUATE SCHOOL OFTECHNOLOGY, NERUL, NAVI
MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA

2. MOTIVATION
• India is the world’s biggest democracy in terms of representation.
Recent studies show:
• 33% of candidates who declared assets more than INR 5 crore, won in 2009.
• 2009 Lok Sabha Poll estimated spending (nearly INR 10,000 crore) is higher than the 2008
• US Presidential Elections (nearly INR 8,000 crore).
• The cost of conducting 2004 elections was 125 times1 greater than that of 1952.
• 162 MPs elected in 2009 have criminal cases against them; 26% increase from 2004.
Since unaccounted money forms a large part of election financing, requisite electoral reforms
can play an important role to weed out corruption. Lack of credibility deters people from
participating in electoral processes and on a macro-level hampers economic, social and
administrative capabilities.

3. Reform 1: IncreasingVoter Awareness
Proposals:
• Including work for election awareness in the curriculum of NSS units of colleges
across India.
-The National Service Scheme volunteers will be expected to spend a considerable
time of their duty hours in spreading election awareness.
• Display of the credentials of candidates inclusive of past criminal record etc. at
public places.The details being validated by the election commission.
• Establishing tie ups with NGOs for increasing awareness among voters.
The Election Commission should do sustained campaign to educate the voters on their voting
rights and candidates and their duties. NGOs can help the illiterate voters and those who do not
have access to website in this regard.

4. Reform 2: Biometric Authentication ofVoters
Proposals:
• Voter authentication using finger print database of aadhar card.
- In order to avoid bogus voting we propose biometric authentication of all voters.
• This practice will reduce the use of unlawful and unethical means to lure voters and
put up Bogus votes.Thus ruling out the motivation of using money power.
• This will also give the authorities an accurate figure of number of voters.
• This will reduce the requirement of man power at polling station and automate
most of the tasks thus reducing govt expenditure

5. Reform 3: Qualifying examination for Candidates
Proposals:
• All candidates will be required to pass a qualifying examination the syllabus of
which will comprise of basic aptitude and Indian Constitution(articles pertaining to
parliament)
- this measure will prevent illiterate candidates from contesting.
• It is our view that illiterate candidates are more susceptible to corruption and their
illiteracy impairs their efficiency.

6. Reform 4: Defense/President’s rule before 3
months from elections
Proposal:
Handing over of government to the defense establishment.
-This will ensure free and fair elections and will avoid the ruling
government from misusing their power.

7. Reform 5: Candidate cannot hold the Ministry for
more than one term.
• This will ensure that every MP can have chance for becoming
ministry.
• This will ensure that irregularities may not take place in that
particular ministry

8. References
• Association for Democratic Reforms. (2009). Lok Sabha ElectionWatch 2009
• Singh, G. (2011, February 28). Poll expense hiked by 60 per cent but MPs want
more. IndiaToday
• Association for Democratic Reforms. (2009). Lok Sabha ElectionWatch 2009