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Election Commission wants political parties to spell out poll promises | India News


NEW DELHI: In what might escalate the ongoing debate about the accountability of political parties in the publication of free gifts, Election Commission on Tuesday proposed changes to its manifesto guidance under a model code of conduct regarding poll promises, asking political parties to specify how they would find resources to implement. commitments, the estimated impact on financial sustainability and the number of beneficiaries expected to be targeted by the promised plans. Disclosures will be required to be made according to clearly defined and quantifiable parameters.
Saying that the proposed disclosures of promises and their implementation will help voters make informed choices, the EC has set October 19 as the deadline for submissions by political parties. response, many parties immediately objected to this move.
The proposal comes amid a fierce debate over free advocates, with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi decries what he calls the culture of irresponsibility of broadcasting things like “revadi”. Many in the opposition have criticized the proposal to regulate the free funds, arguing that they are necessary to provide relief to the less fortunate.

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SC is also hearing a petition seeking regulation of free gifts that has been opposed by parties and state governments.
The litigation is not likely to have any impact on the EC’s move to develop standard disclosures of poll promises into a model code of conduct.MCC), there is no legal support and only a voluntary understanding between the EC and the political parties involved in the electoral process. The EC will issue new guidance once the consultations with the parties are concluded, although this may take some time as it is not unusual for parties to wish to extend within the EC comment period. their.

There is no applicable law governing poll promises. But the EC in 2015, at the direction of the Supreme Court in Subramaniam Balaji cases, incorporated manifest instructions into the MCC. They require parties to reflect on the reasonableness of promises and broadly indicate ways and means of meeting financial requirements.
However, over the years, the EC has found the statements to be vague, routine and lacking in information that could help voters make informed choices.
At the full Commission meeting here on Tuesday, the chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey agrees that the EC cannot continue to be a silent spectator to the “unwelcome” impact of certain exploratory promises and offers, on the conduct of free and fair elections and the maintenance of a level playing field. “A regulatory format for disclosure … is necessary to bring about standardization of the nature of the information and to facilitate comparison,” it states.
Track the parameters followed by the Finance Committee, RBI guidelines, Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, CAG principles and general budget preparation – all areas familiar to CEC, a former finance secretary of the Union – EC proposed two sets of processes to be filled by political parties. First ask for details like spending wisely on promises and expanding their coverage. In the second proforma, the parties are required to disclose how the promises will be funded, along with pre-filled financial information provided by the Union’s finance secretary or secretaries of state based on the budget estimates. latest or revised estimate for the election year. Official data, a senior body has pointed out, will also help voters gauge the financial health of the party seeking a re-election.
The EC has made it clear that it cannot understand the “nature” of poll promises, not going into what defines a “free person” or what distinguishes it from a “promise”. opinions” aimed at social welfare. It said it agreed in principle that framing manifestos was a right of political parties.
Among the details sought by proformas to reveal the exploratory manifesto is the extent of the promise’s coverage (such as for individuals, families, communities, BPLs, or entire populations); quantification of physical coverage; quantify the financial impact of the promise; and availability of financial resources. The parties will need to disclose the ways and means of mobilizing resources, such as increasing taxable or non-tax revenue, streamlining spending in terms of withdrawing an existing program or benefit, additional loans and the impact of the Coalition or state government’s supplemental resource enhancement plan on fiscal sustainability including industry impact.

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