State must give part of election funds

Former Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla believes that political parties generally do observe the model code of conduct. He tells K.S. Jayaseelan in this interview that India risks becoming an oligarchy if crorepatis continue to be given party tickets in significant numbers

How stupendous is conducting the national election in the world’s largest democracy?

It is indisputably the largest management exercise in the world. In 2009, there were about 716 million registered voters. This time 100 million have been added to the rolls. There will be almost 850,000 polling stations. Almost 11 million personnel will be on duty. There may be as many as 8,000 contestants. The voting population will exceed the population of some continents. Can any electoral exercise be bigger or more complex? I don’t think so!

Don’t you think the Election Commission is a toothless tiger?

The Election Commission has been asking for more powers. For instance, the EC does not have the power to deregister a political party, even one that has never contested an election. There are other statutory powers that the EC has been writing to the government for, but the issue has not been addressed. However, the model code of conduct has become an important instrument to ensure a level-playing field. Also, the courts do not interfere in the poll process until the elections are completed. My experience of the Lok Sabha election in 2009 was that there were not many serious violations. This demonstrates the maturity of our political class. In some cases, it did become necessary to issue notices to candidates and political parties. After responses were received, the issues were satisfactorily addressed.

While the EC does not have graded powers, it certainly has important, indeed vital, powers regarding withdrawal of recognition under the symbols order. However, it should not become necessary to use such drastic powers, for, by and large, adherence to the model code of conduct worked well for the 2009 poll as candidates do not relish being reprimanded by the EC. I am confident that this election will also witness proper adherence to the model code.

Will the EC be scrutinising the election manifestos of political parties ahead of the elections?

I read in the papers that in its recent meeting with political parties, the EC has asked them to have manifestos that can be realistically fulfilled.

What arrangements are in place to deal with the menace of paid news?

I understand that the EC has written to the government asking for a law to be passed making paid news an electoral offence with a term of punishment.
This matter is pending with the government. Meanwhile, I believe that the EC has tasked returning officers, observers and many other functionaries to be especially vigilant and, as before, such proven expenditure would be added to a candidate’s expenses.

How serious do you think is the question of the rigging of opinion polls?

Some years ago, the EC had a meeting with political parties on this issue. Even at that time several parties had serious reservations regarding opinion polls on grounds of lack of transparency regarding methodology, sample size, geographical spread and other questions that indicate the representative nature, or otherwise, of a survey.
The EC has a duty to provide a level-playing field to smaller parties. A poll should not hurt a party through inaccurate projection for another party. Opinion polls are permitted in places such as the UK and the US, but with very strict rules in place.

In India, we are most often not provided the basic data regarding the design of a poll, methodology and sample size. Surely, there would be a difference between an opinion poll with the sample size of 300 or 3,000 and one with 30,000 or 100,000. This basic information would help readers and broadcast audiences make up their mind.

Is there a mechanism by which political parties that own television channels don’t circumvent the law governing campaign timing?

The Election Commis-sion has now appointed officials in all the constituencies to monitor both the print and the electronic media for both paid news as well as channels owned by political parties.

Recently, the government permitted raising of expense limits for candidates. Left parties and smaller outfits have expressed their reservations as this may give an unfair advantage to parties that can afford to spend more. Do you think the level-playing field will be compromised with the enhancing of expense limits?

I would like to answer this question more fundamentally. Even though the limit has been raised from '40 lakh to '70 lakh, the average person believes that the limits are far exceeded by candidates and their parties. If political parties continue to favour crorepatis as their candidates, then surely inferences can be drawn from this. In the 15th Lok Sabha, as many as 58 per cent members were crorepatis. I am not sure that this enhanced limit of '70 lakh will have particular meaning if candidates are nominated by their parties on account of their wealth. I have expressed the view several times that our country must move towards some form of state funding of elections if we are not to become an oligarchy.