CPI-M raises with EC concerns on corporate funding

Welcoming the Election Commission move to use paper trail with electronic voting machines in all future polls in the country, the CPI-M on Friday raised with the commission the recent changes in laws concerning corporate funding of political parties.

"The EC has said that for all future elections VVPATs (Voter-Verfied Paper Audit Trail) will be used, which is a very welcome move," Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Nilotpal Basu said after attending an all-party meeting convened by the commission here.

"In addition, there should also be a system for independent concurrent vetting of the electoral processes. There are questions/doubts about EVMs and something must be done to dispel these," he said.

"There will always be questions on the electoral process, and the EC will have to come up with answers from time to time. We believe the use of VVPATs is the answer for now," he said.

"Last year, restrictions in FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) on political funding were removed. This year, the Finance Bill has delivered a body blow by removing a cap on political donations as also the requirement for disclosure of such donations," the CPI-M leader said.

"It is a mockery -- there is no more level playing field, which is the essence of democracy," Basu added.

The EC had on Friday invited all seven national parties and 48 state parties to discuss concerns raised about hacking/tampering of the EVMs.

Disqualifying candidates named in a chargesheet for bribing voters, making electoral graft a non-bailable offence and other electoral reforms were also discussed at the meeting.

As for disqualifying candidates chargesheeted for bribery, Basu said such disqualification was tenable only when the legal process is exhausted and the accused is convicted.

--IANS

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