Hyderabad: It has become impossible for people from the poor and middle classes to contest elections, said BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Friday.
“The Election Commission (EC) has become a toothless tiger which never derecognises any political party for not submitting poll expenditure details within the stipulated time. A lot of money flows during poll campaigns,” he said.
Mr Gandhi was delivering a guest lecture, ‘Political reforms in India’ at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research.
Although Article 324 of the Constitution says that the EC controls and supervises elections, cases cannot be filed after the elections without going to the Supreme Court.
Mr Gandhi said though all political parties filed returns late, only the party belonging to late Speaker P.A. Sangma was derecognised.
He demanded tighter enforcement of limits on donations to political parties would force candidates to engage with a broader spread of voters. He said state funding of elections would create a level playing field.
