Kolkata, July 25 (UNI): West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call an all-party meeting on public funding of elections in India.
Mamata expressed concern over reports of high expenses in this year's ( 2019) seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, which spanned for six weeks from April 11 to May 19.
In her letter, Mamata said: "The issue is broadly of electoral reforms and specifically to prevent corruption and criminality in our democratic polity. The time has come for government funding of elections which is the norm today in 65 countries in the world."
The TMC has been propagating the issue in its party manifesto of 2014 and 2019 elections.
"Going by the current spending figures, it is apprehended that in the next 2024 general elections the poll expenditure could cross Rs 1 lakh crore," she maintained.
"I urge you to call an all-party meeting with the single agenda of public funding of elections in India, with an objective of rooting out corruption," she added.
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