India – Election 2019 Campaign Finance and Transparency 

Padmini Arhant

In the ongoing election season in India, the political parties lavish spending in propagating information lacking in substance and ignoring focus on critical subject viz. economy and soaring unemployment require massive slush funds that are made available to them from diverse sources never revealed to public.

The fundamentals of democratic election is transparency identifying origins of campaign financing enabling any political party to compete in the expensive event called election.

The national and regional parties must disclose the campaign donors with their names and industry or profession they belong to for better understanding of their alliance and connections allowing electorate to make informed decision on their choices at the polls.

There is no doubt that campaign investors and highest bidders on candidacies and political parties emerge as main beneficiaries following election leaving ordinary voters delivering mandate nothing more than agents in the electoral process increasingly becoming a mere formality in the so-called free and fair election.

The electorate also deserve to know the names and titles behind endorsements of candidates across the spectrum as that bears significance in the aftermath of election with expectations to return favors i.e. quid pro quo on such activity.

Any candidate beginning at the top from Prime Minister down to various contenders running for public office are obligatory to submit these essential details to public especially in the overt misrepresentation of candidacy such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoted as individual with impeccable integrity necessitate verification on campaign donations flowing from myriad channels not barring black money circulation and distribution enmasse with authority.

Again there is no misconception on election serving as the primary medium for money laundering with political parties as recipients facilitating and legitimizing the otherwise illegal trend.

All the more reason for electorate to demand public disclosure in the relevant matter from all political parties and candidates without exception.

Notwithstanding rejection of candidates and members of Parliament regardless of political factions with criminal records and those having served time in prison or implicated on corruption charges and other unlawful incidents pending trials or inquiry is paramount to drain the swamp for a clean democracy.

The voters due diligence and discernment  prior to settling for any preference on the ballot box is imperative.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

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