Lok Sabha Question No. 1527 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-19
Subject: Accredited Political Parties
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: REKHA ARUN VERMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1527

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 19 th  DECEMBER, 2018

## ACCREDITED POLITICAL PARTIES

†1527. SHRIMATI REKHA  VERMA:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- a)  the  number  of  political  parties  of  National  and  State  level  granted accreditation by Election Commission at present;
2. (b)  the  details  of  electoral  reforms  carried  out  during  the  past  three years;
3. (c)  whether  the  Government  has  received  the  recommendations  of cabinet level committee constituted under the Chairmanship of honourable Home Minister and if so, the details thereof;
4. (d) whether the Government is planning to make the above recommendations public; and
5. (e) if so, the time by which it is likely to be done?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P.P.CHAUDHARY)

- (a) : The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House.
- (b) : Electoral reforms is a continuous and ongoing process that involve a  major  policy  decisions  in  consultation  with  all  stakeholders  in  the

matter.  Following  are  some  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government towards electoral reforms in recent years:-

- I. The  Registration  of  Electoral  Rules,  1960  and  the  Conduct  of Election  Rules,  1961  were  amended  in  September,  2016  for simplifying the various forms appended thereto, inter alia , requiring the candidate to make a specific declaration about his citizenship and to affix his photo on the form, etc.
- II. The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 were amended in October, 2016 to facilitate  electronic  transmission  of  blank  postal  ballot  to the service voters including armed forces personnel with a view to reducing the window of time available for receipt of marked postal ballot paper.
- III. The Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 were amended in April, 2017 to  amplify  nomination  Forms  2A  to  2H,  making  it  mandatory  for candidates to disclose the source(s) of income of self and spouse and  to  make  specific  declarations  relating  to  all  disqualification provisions.
- IV. Section  13A  of  the  Income  Tax  Act,  1961  was  amended  by  the Ministry  of  Finance  through  the  Finance  Act,  2017  whereby  no donation  exceeding  two  thousand  rupees  can  be  received  by political parties otherwise than by an account payee cheque drawn on a bank or an account payee draft or use of electronic clearing system through a bank account or through electoral bonds.
- V. Form  26  appended  to  the  Conduct  of  Election  Rules,  1961  was amended  in  October,  2018  requiring  the  candidates  to  declare information  about  their  source  of  income  including  that  of  their dependents,  about  contracts  entered  into  with  the  appropriate Government and public company etc. and for publicizing information regarding criminal cases pending against them.

(c)  to  (e)  :  A  Committee  headed  by  the  Hon'ble  Home  Minister  had recommended  proxy  voting  for  overseas  electors  in  addition  to  their existing facility of voting in person. A Bill to amend the Representation of the  People  Act,  1951  for  the  purpose  has  been  passed  by  the  Lok Sabha and is pending consideration by Rajya Sabha at present.

*******