Mamata writes to PM, bats for electoral reforms including state funding of polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to implement electoral reforms aimed at preventing corruption and criminality in the polls.

Stating that the country needs an electoral reform which includes government funding of elections, Banerjee said: "The time has come for government funding of elections, which is the norm in 65 countries."

While citing a report released by the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) on 2019 poll expenditure, in which it stated that the recently held polls have crossed all limits reaching a minimum of Rs 60,000 crore, the Chief Minister said: "It is the 'highest-ever' poll expenditure in any part of the world. Going by the current spending figures, it is apprehended that in the next 2024 General Elections the poll expenditure could cross Rs 1 lakh crore."

"I urge you (PM Modi) to call an all-party meeting with the single agenda of public funding of elections in India with the objective of rooting out what has been called the mother of all corruptions," she said.

Further, she said, "A study by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) on 'Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns' found that 65 countries in the world received direct public funding and 79 countries in the world received indirect public funding."

The countries where political parties received direct public funding include major developed countries like Germany, France, UK, Japan, Italy, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Denmark, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, etc. Even developing countries like Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, etc., receive Direct Public Funding, read the letter.