Election Commission holds discussions with Legislative Department on pending electoral reforms

Chief Election Commissioner  Sunil Arora, Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa, Sushil Chandra and senior officers of ECI met Narayan Raju, Secretary of the Department along with Rita Vashishth, Addl Secretary and other officers at the meeting.

While welcoming the Law Secretary and other officers of the Ministry, Sunil Arora thanked the Department for facilitating postal ballot facilities for PwD and electors of above 80 years and electors belonging to essential services by the recent amendment in the Conduct of Election Rules on ECI's recommendation.

Arora also mentioned that there are more than 40 different proposals of electoral reforms which are pending since long and Commission is at present discussing some of these proposals. "Commission would like to have such meetings with Legislative Department at regular intervals to pursue all such pending proposals," he said.

Matters discussed during the meeting interalia included : More than one qualification date in an year for becoming Elector; Aadhar linkage with electoral roll; paid news and false affidavit as electoral offence/corrupt practice;  Print media and social media intermediaries to be covered under Section 126 of the RP Act 1951; Substituting the term 'wife' by 'spouse' in the RP Act 1951 to facilitate electoral registration to the spouse of women service officials in the category of service voter; amendment in Contribution Form. Secretary Legislative Department. 

Raju assured that they are already examining these proposals.