Why this matters now
Electoral reform is a perennial GS-2 theme — the problems, the reforms already done, the pending agenda (state funding, criminalisation), and topical issues like electoral bonds and simultaneous elections.
The core issues
- Money power — high, opaque campaign spending;
- Criminalisation of politics — candidates with criminal records;
- Muscle power, paid news and misinformation;
- Misuse of official machinery and freebies;
- Inadequate inner-party democracy and the anti-defection grey areas.
Key reforms done
Major steps: lowering the voting age to 18 (61st Amendment), the Model Code of Conduct, EVMs and VVPAT, NOTA, mandatory disclosure of criminal/financial records (affidavits), limits on campaign expenditure, and Supreme Court rulings on disqualification (Lily Thomas case). The electoral bonds scheme was struck down by the Supreme Court (2024) for opacity.
The way forward
Pending reforms (recommended by the Dinesh Goswami, Vohra, 2nd ARC and Law Commission reports) include state funding of elections, decriminalisation (barring serious accused), regulating party finance and inner-party democracy, curbing freebies/paid news, and the debate on “One Nation, One Election”.
UPSC angle
Know the problems (money, criminalisation), reforms (18-yr vote/61st Amd, MCC, EVM-VVPAT, NOTA, affidavits, Lily Thomas), the electoral-bonds verdict, and pending ideas (state funding, ONOE).
Frequently asked questions
What are the main problems in Indian elections?
Money power, criminalisation of politics, muscle power, paid news/misinformation and misuse of official machinery.
What is NOTA?
“None Of The Above” — an option allowing voters to reject all candidates, introduced on the Supreme Court’s direction.
What happened to the electoral bonds scheme?
The Supreme Court struck it down in 2024 for violating voters’ right to information due to its opacity.
What electoral reforms are still pending?
State funding of elections, decriminalisation of politics, regulation of party finance and inner-party democracy.