BPAC initiative: Citizens to endorse candidates

Bangalore, April 26: History to be made by a citizen group, says TV Mohandas Pai, chairman of Manipal Global. He is vice president of BPAC, the political action group, which going to announce names of candidates it is endorsing, tomorrow.

The Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) of prominent citizens of Bangalore, is focussed on good governance, social well-being and inclusive growth of Bangalore.

Its aim is to identify and support strong candidates for public offices at all levels of governance from Bangalore city. It is politically neutral and wants to focus only on the candidates alignment to the specific agenda of BPAC.

With polling in Karnataka scheduled for May 5, tomorrow marks the first step in the process to change the way elections are funded and conducted in India.

Pai tweeted today that "citizens should fund elections if we have to get clean politics and good governance. Election funding at root of corruption in society."

There are reasons for Pai's concerns. In Karnataka, till today nearly Rs 12 crore in cash has been seized from various places. This is fraction of black money spent on the elections.

The menace of money power in corrupting Indian democracy is much talked about and debated with slow movement on laws to curb it.

In fact, a report by the Law Commission of India is expected this month electoral reforms.

Last month, Law and Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar had said in Rajya Sabha that "the Government and the Election Commission are seriously concerned about the growing influence of black money in elections...I assure the House that every single effort will be made to eliminate the possibility of people and money invading into our electoral system," .

With a view to eliminating the use of unaccounted money and money power in elections, the issue of electoral reforms in its entirety has been referred to the Law Commission, he told the MPs.

"The Law Commission has been requested to give concrete suggestions by April this year. On receipt of recommendations of the Law Commission, the matter will be further examined in consultation with political parties and other stake holders," he said.

Kumar said the Election Commission has also offered its views on some aspect of the suggested electoral reforms.

Since 2010 Bihar Assembly polls the Election Commission has been monitoring the election expenditure.

OneIndia News