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Here's what happened at ADR in the first quarter of 2023
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Case Title: Association for Democratic Reforms versus Union of India & ANR. | WP(c) 569/2021
Constitutional validity of the current practice of appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners by Executive
A five-judge Constitution Bench comprising Justices KM Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar in a petition filed by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) gave a landmark judgment directing the appointment of Members of Election Commission to be done on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition (or the leader of the single largest opposition party) in the Lok Sabha. This system will be in vogue till such time the Parliament passes a law in this regard.
The bench stated that there is lacuna in law relating to the appointment process of Members of Election Commission and, therefore, “any process that seeks to improve the election process before this Court must be considered”.
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ADR's petition challenging Finance Act,2017:
On 21-03-2023, the Electoral Bonds petition had come up for hearing before the Supreme Court. The respondents i.e Union of India had sought more time to file a counter affidavit. The Bench comprising CJI D.Y Chandrachud and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narsimha granted 3 weeks time to the UOI to file their counter. The Bench also directed the parties to prepare a common compilation containing the written submissions, copies of judgments and any other important material and shall be submitted a week before the date of hearing. The matter is likely to be listed for hearing on 03rd May 2023.
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Letter to ECI regarding changes in Affidavits (Form 26):
On 23-03-2023 ADR along with DAKSH and B.PAC had written a letter to the Election Commission of India requesting the Commission to improve and take appropriate action in affidavits (Form 26) dealing with declaration of criminal case against candidates contesting elections. In the letter , it was requested that a column on CNR No. of the case should be added in the affidavits. In addition it was also requested that every candidate at the time of filing his nomination paper for any election to the Council of States, House of the People, Legislative Assembly of a State or the Legislative Council of a State having such a council, shall be required to furnish full and complete information in cases where cognizance was taken by the Court of competent jurisdiction as specified by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Association for Democratic Reforms and Others vs. Union Of India and Others; (2002) 5 SCC 294 and AIR 2003 SC 2363.
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Our Important Reports & Events
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- Municipal Corporation of Delhi Elections, 2022: Analysis of Vote Share, Margin of Victory and Representativeness of Winners
- Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Ministers
- Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Tripura Sitting MLAs
- Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Nagaland Sitting MLAs
- Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Meghalaya Sitting MLAs
- Analysis of Sitting Council of Ministers from 28 State Assemblies and 2 Union Territories of India 2023
- Analysis of Assets Comparison of Re-Elected MPs Between 2009 to 2019 Lok Sabha Elections
- Tripura Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other Details of Candidates
- Tripura Assembly Election 2023: Analysis of Assets Comparison of Re-Contesting MLAs
- Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other Details of Candidates
- Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other Details of Candidates
- Nagaland Assembly Election 2023: Analysis of Assets Comparison of Re-Contesting MLAs
- Meghalaya Assembly Election 2023: Analysis of Assets Comparison of Re-Contesting MLAs
- Tripura Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and Other Details of Winning Candidates
- Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and Other Details of Winning Candidates
- Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and Other Details of Winning Candidates
- Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Ministers
- Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Ministers
- Tripura Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details of Ministers
- Tripura Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Vote Share and Margin of Victory of Winners
- Meghalaya Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Vote Share, Margin of Victory and Representativeness of Winners
- Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Vote Share and Margin of Victory of Winners
- Karnataka Sitting MLAs: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other details
- Analysis of Criminal and Financial Background Details of Candidates and MPs/MLAs from 2004 to 2022 in Karnataka
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- Webinar on How are electoral bonds changing the political funding landscape?
- Voter Awareness Campaign on "Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation" by Tripura Election Watch
- Webinar by ADR on "Should there be a collegium system for the appointment of Election Commissioners?"
- Interactive Discussion by Citizens' Forum India on "NEUTRALITY AND INDEPENDENCE - In the Appointment of CEC and ECs of India" | Speaker: Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founder Member & Trustee of ADR
- Visit to ADR by Students from MIT School of Government | Topic: Impending Electoral Reforms: Who will Bell the Cat? | Speaker: Maj. Gen. Anil Verma (Retd.), Head of ADR
- Interactive Discussion by Citizens' Forum India on "THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION-Conversations With Power" | Speaker: Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founder Member & Trustee of ADR
- Talk by Committee for Public Policy and Research at XLRI, Jamshedpur | Topic: Transparency in Democracy & Political Funding | Speaker: Maj Gen Anil Verma (Retd), Head of ADR
- Neeti Manthan by Committee for Public Policy and Research at XLRI, Jamshedpur | Case Study Competition
- Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign by West Bengal Election Watch in Bethuadahari, Nadia
- Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign by West Bengal Election Watch in Agradwip, Bardhaman
- Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign by West Bengal Election Watch in Salar, Murshidabad
- Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign by West Bengal Election Watch in Kusumtola, Namkhana, Sundarban
- Grassroots Voter Awareness Campaign by West Bengal Election Watch in Baliara, Mousuni, Sundarban
- Youth Workshop by West Bengal Election Watch on Responsible Use of Social Media at Bahitrakunda High School, Purba Medinipur
- Youth Workshop by West Bengal Election Watch on Responsible Use of Social Media at Bengal Law College, Santiniketan
- Youth Workshop by West Bengal Election Watch on Responsible Use of Social Media at Ramakrishna Misssion Residential College, Narendrapur
- Debate Competition by West Bengal Election Watch on “Reservation of seats for women in the Parliament and Legislative Assemblies for uplifting women in Indian Politics”
- Poster Making Competition by West Bengal Election Watch on "Right to Information"
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Prof Jagdeep Chhokar's Podcast Interview
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Are remote voting machines (RVMs) the best way to enable migrants to vote? | In Focus podcast
Jagdeep S. Chhokar spoke to The Hindu on whether India needs Remote Voting Machines, and if the problem of getting domestic migrant workers to vote can be solved.
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Needed: Citizens’ movement for electoral democracy
The group feels that the “fast-rising economic oligarchy in the country, threatening India as a welfare state, is the direct fallout of this extreme criminal and money power in elections, which is the fountainhead of all corruption in the country.” Read more...
Author: Kathyayini Chamaraj, State Coordinator of Karnataka Election Watch (ADR) and an Executive Trustee of CIVIC-Bangalore
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A Big Bang Poll Reform: Taking Election Commissioner selection out of government’s hands was long overdue
Whether the new selection procedure will improve the functioning of the ECI remains to be seen as ultimately it depends on the integrity of the person occupying the chair. Read more...
Author: Maj Gen Anil Verma (Retd), Head of ADR
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Benchmarks for ECs’ appointments
The way India’s constitutional and political structures have evolved over the years seems to have made elections almost a mechanistic and ritualistic exercise. Read more...
Author: Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founder Member and Trustee of ADR
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Not freebies, criminals in politics should be EC’s focus
There has been a national debate on what constitutes freebies versus what is the legitimate and essential service to be provided by the government. Read more...
Author: Dr Ajit Ranade, Founder Member and Trustee of ADR
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Why the Election Commission’s appointment is being questioned by the Supreme Court
Sometimes in a small state, elections are held in seven phases and [other times], in a similar sized state, it is held in one phase. Read more...
Interviewee: Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founder Member and Trustee of ADR
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Regulating freebies: Poll panel’s baffling turnabout
“This is a fundamental mistake we seem to make — that elections happen only from the date of the announcement of the election till the date of counting of votes. Election is not a process confined to those two to three weeks. Election is a process that goes on 24/7 around the year,” says Chhokar. Read more...
Interviewee: Prof Jagdeep Chhokar, Founder Member and Trustee of ADR
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Know how ADR is striving to decriminalise Indian politics!
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