‘NOTA needs legal sanctity as right to reject’

Nagpur: Around 25 prominent

socialist

leaders and activists called for an urgent need to usher in poll

reforms

to strengthen democracy and to make it more pro-people. They were participating in a symposium organized on Tuesday by Samajwadi Samagam and FACTER (Fight Against Corruption Through Electoral Reforms). Socialist intellectual Anna Khandare was in the chair. NAPM national convener and ex-MLA Dr Sunilam was the principal speaker while FACTER convener and all India general secretary of JD(U) Arun Kumar Shrivastava was chief guest. Veera Sathidar of Republican Panthers said although NOTA (none of the above) is an option at the polling booth, it has absolutely no influence on the actual elections. This needs to be changed and NOTA needs to be given legal sanctity in the form of right to reject. Yashwant Chitale of the JD(U) suggested that the no candidate should be permitted to contest more than twice, regardless of whether they win or lose and elections should be funded by the state. Girish Nandgaonkar of Swaraj Abhiyan suggested that

parties

should conduct primary elections to choose candidates. Kisan Sangharsh Samiti’s Aradhana Bhargava stressed on the need to create awareness among people about

poll

reforms. Maharashtra convener of Samajwadi Samagam Omprakash Kalme suggested that parties need to consider candidates’ social and moral character while distributing tickets. Vilas Bhongade of NAPM said pension and other benefits should be stopped after end of the term of MP/MLA. Parties or candidates seeking votes on the basis of caste or community should be barred. Sunil Patil of Gandhi Smarak Nidhi suggested that election expenditure limits need to be minimized and poll expenses be borne by the government. Dr Sunilam said all parties should be brought under

RTI

Act. Poll manifestos should provide details of how the party proposes to fulfil promises. There should also be a law to cancel the party’s registration if it fails to implement its election manifesto. No more than two members of any family should be permitted to contest elections. Right to recall must also be implemented for all elected representatives. Anna Khandare said in his presidential speech that the Election Commission had failed to uphold its constitutional responsibility, which is why in Lok Sabha of 545 members, 415 MPs have a declared wealth in excess of Rs 14 crore. “Democracy has become slave of the capital,” he said. A 5-member team — Afzal Farooque, Mayatai Choure, Ashu Saxena, Sunil Patil and Deepak Choudhary — took up the responsibility to organize further such discussions on the theme in all districts of Vidarbha.