De-criminalisation of Politics: Election laws need urgent reforms in order to de-criminalise and sanitise our political system. The existing prescribed limits of election expenditure are unrealistic and are hardly adhered to. Potential law makers begin their political careers as unashamed law breakers. Barring honourable exceptions the prime motivation of these elected so-called servants of the people is to recoup the illegally incurred election expenses. The limits of election expenditure should be revised and fixed at reasonable levels and strictly enforced.

At present persons against whom charges have been framed by a court of law can contest elections. Recommendations of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) and also the Law Commission that such persons should be disqualified from contesting elections have been ignored. The consequence is the disgusting spectacle of history-sheeters and criminals in Parliament and state legislatures, and worse, also in the Cabinet making laws and ruling us and our children.

Defection is the worst form of political immorality. It must not be permitted in any form whether by merger of political parties or other stratagems. A defector should be debarred from holding any ministerial post or any public office thereby removing a strong incentive for defection. My experience has been that speakers of some state Assemblies do not display the requisite impartiality expected of them in determining the question of disqualification of a member for alleged defection. This function should be entrusted to the Election Commission. That was one of the recommendations of the NCWRC. Again it has been ignored. Will there be political will to effect these reforms? I am doubtful.