Why contest from more than one constituency?: Letters to The EDITOR

Why contest from more than one constituency?

The right of a candidate to contest from two constituencies, no matter whether it is for the Lok Sabha or the State Legislative Assembly should be abolished. Some undesirable effects follow from such an unjustified right.

First, in the event of such an eventuality the normal voting pattern of that constituency from which the candidate chooses to resign is disturbed. This is disturbing for a democratic country.

Second, new election for filling up the vacancy in such a constituency is delayed — sometimes for a year or so; as a result, the constituency remains unrepresented till election for this purpose is held again.

Third, the Election Commission has to accept an extra and unnecessary burden of holding election; it has to hold election twice within the duration of the same Lok Sabha or State Legislative Assembly.

Fourth, it means a heavy wastage of money and manpower; which can be avoided if this right of the candidate is abolished.

Fifth, the voters of the constituency from which the winning candidate resigns have to undergo unnecessary trouble to cast their votes twice for sending their representative.

Sixth, the government machinery within the constituency has to be engaged once again for conducting an election only because of a single individual's political desires. As a result, many government officials and employees have to stay away from their administrative and other public functions thus depriving people from official work for a long time.

Moreover, the government has to spend a large sum of money for conducting such election exercises. The money thus wasted can be utilized for carrying out various development works.

I, therefore, request the Election Commission to take a decision in this regard.

Paramananda Bora,

Jyoti Path, Bhetapara, Beltola

Of mudsliding & chopper-use while campaigning

It is generally observed that during election campaigns, leaders of political parties vehemently take recourse to mudslinging by even referring to the personal life of their opponents while delivering their rhetoric speeches. It creates an awkward environment. I would like to request the leaders of all political parties to refrain from this practice. On the other hand, they should criticize the policies and manifestoes of the rival parties. Further, the ruling party and many Opposition parties have been using helicopters while campaigning. It is a costly affair. But the moot question: What is the source of such money?

Putul Sarma,

Biswanath Chariali

EC admits electoral bonds are against transparency

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has risen to the occasion by opposing at the Supreme Court, the decision of the Central government to introduce electoral bonds for funding of political parties where names of contributors are hidden. These bonds have become sources of undisclosed funding to ruling party getting 95 per cent of total funding done through electoral bonds in 2017-18.

It is evident that any ruling party will be getting the major share of such opaque contribution because of contributors getting favours from the ruling party by themselves remaining anonymous.

Contributions made to political parties should be perfectly transparent and cashless. Electoral bonds must carry names of contributors to prevent these as indirect and legalized bribing to ruling party. With the Central government motivating even small payments through digital banking like Bhim-app PayTM etc, the ideal is to ultimately totally ban cash contribution to any political party, with initially restricting it to rupees 100 rather than the present Rs 2,000.

Sections 13A, 80GGB and 80GGC of Income Tax Act on contributions received by and made to political parties should be totally abolished to prevent whitening of black money with many registered political parties not having contested any election but getting themselves registered with Election Commission only for this purpose. After all extra revenue-earning so made will be used for national development and public-welfare which is rather more necessary than to provide undue tax relief to our ultra-rich and affording political parties.

Madhu Agrawal,

1775 Kucha Lattushah,

Dariba, Chandni Chowk,

Delhi-110006.