Bengaluru: Shocked over huge money being spent by political parties to 'buy' votes of members of local bodies in the election to the Council, sitting members of the State Legislative Council, cutting across party lines, have spoken the urgent need to bring in electoral reforms before the situation goes out of control.
Apart from poll reforms, they have favoured a cap on expenditure as done in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls besides nominating members from local bodies depending on political parties’ numerical strength in local bodies.
JD(S) member Basavaraj Horatti said he was shocked to see the amount of money being spent by parties to woo voters of local bodies. Each candidate may spend around Rs 15 crore in districts which have less number of votes. The expenditure has touched around Rs 30 crore in some places where there is tough competition. The sanctity of the Upper House has gone for a toss with these offerings being made to members of local bodies. Unfortunately, parties give ticket only to realtors and businessmen who are ready to spend any amount to win the elections. When they spend crores of rupees, what commitment can people expect from these elected members, he wondered.
He said there was an urgent need to bring electoral reforms and fix a limit on expenditure by candidates. Election to the Council has become a money-making business for members of local bodies. Unfortunately, this tendency has crept into the teachers’ and graduates’ constituency elections. Fixing education qualification and a check of the antecedents of candidates is a must.
Mr Ramachandragowda of BJP bemoaned that GP members had become a 'purchasable commodity' in this election. A better solution is to make parties select the right candidates depending upon their numerical strength in local bodies and nominate them to the Council.
Former minister M.C. Nanaiah has favored bringing GP members under the anti-defection law to check corruption in elections to the Council. Every GP member has been fielded by political parties and they can no longer be apolitical. When the anti-defection law is applicable to members of TP and ZP and urban local bodies, why not extend it to GP members too. By doing this, corruption could be reduced to a great extent.
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