Poll panel needs more teeth to monitor political parties: Varun Gandhi

BENGALURU: Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi has observed that the political parties spend a lot during elections and called for strengthening the powers of Election Commission. While delivering a lecture on “The Road of Justice - Opportunities and Impediments”, at National Law School of India University (NLSIU) here on Thursday, he said, "A country like Sweden, which is relatively much smaller, has more funding for its Election commission compared with ours. But in India, political parties spend a lot on the poll campaign and the commission has no power to act on them, because the law says EC can monitor only on the candidates but not the parties.”

He said the election commission has no power once the election process is completed. Moreover it is very difficult for people from humble background to contest election. “So it will be better if law of EC changed," he added. Citing example of Argentina he said televised debates keep the electorate well informed about their candidates. Varun also touched upon the glaring urban, rural divide and the poor quality of government schools. "The report from the central government says that 66 percent of people who pass the IAS exams are from private schools. The glaring inequalities which plague the Indian society has to come down," he said.

He also fielded questions from the students. Shantanujha, a student, told Deccan Chronicle. “In the question round, I told him about a district collector in Chhattisgarh who has enrolled his child in a government school and how such a step can have a domino effect and learning outcomes can change very quickly. I also asked him that if he writes to the parliamentarians and ask them to do something similar. He endorsed my idea whole heartedly and said that he will take this idea forward.”