BJP forms election reforms committee

New Delhi, Feb 15 (PTI) BJP President Nitin Gadkari todayannounced the formation of a election reforms committee of theparty which will focus on issues like EVMs, criminalisation ofpolitics and other concerns.

Party vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will be theconvenor of the committee.

"The election reforms committee of BJP will look into allissues regarding electoral reforms. These will be conveyed tothe government and the Election Commission," Naqvi told PTI.

He said the committee will prepare reports on importantelectoral issues and submit them to the government and the EC.

"The committee will work mainly under the guidance ofsenior party leader L K Advani," Naqvi said.

Members of the committee include party general secretaryThawar Chand Gehlot, secretary Kirit Somaiya, former BJP UttarPradesh unit chief Ramapati Ram Tripathi, Satyapal Jain,Bhanwari Lal Purohit, G V L Narasimha Rao and Ramakrishna.

Other major issues which the committee would work oninclude the socio-geographic-political changes in the profileof constituencies after delimitation, increasing use of moneyand muscle power, state funding of elections and increasingthe deposit money of candidates to discourage non-seriouscontestants.

"The committee will also travel to states and getfeedback from the people," Naqvi said.

A special area of attention will be the Women''sReservation Bill, which BJP supported and helped pass in RajyaSabha. The party will try to build further support for theproposed legislation in the Lok Sabha.