Guwahati: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has once again brought electoral reforms into the national spotlight, urging the BJP-led NDA government to end the delay and begin addressing the long-pending changes in Parliament.
His statement comes at a time when questions over the autonomy of the Election Commission and the overall transparency of India’s electoral system have been gaining momentum, especially in light of recent developments.
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In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday afternoon, Gogoi reminded the ruling government of Parliament’s long history of engaging with electoral reforms.
He pointed out that electoral reforms have been a subject of discussion for decades, spanning different political eras and parties.
He cited various historical moments when Parliament had discussed the issue, starting with 1961, when the Rajya Sabha debated amendments to the Conduct of Elections Rules. The discussion was led by Gopal Swarup Pathak, who was the Law Minister at the time.
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He also referred to the 1981 resolution moved by Congress MP Manubhai Patel, which called for the establishment of a parliamentary committee to review election laws. In 1991, the Upper House debated the urgent need to amend the existing election laws.
In 2015, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad moved a Calling Attention Motion on proxy and e-postal voting for NRIs.
Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda had agreed to consider the Opposition’s demands on this issue. And, as recently as 2019, a Short Duration Discussion on electoral reforms took place in Parliament, with participation from then Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Gogoi emphasized that these examples show a clear precedent, adding that the government must not delay the crucial and long-overdue discussion on electoral reforms.
He urged the government to take immediate action and engage in a meaningful dialogue about the electoral system in the upcoming sessions.
Gogoi’s remarks are being interpreted as a strategic move to pressure the Centre into addressing several unresolved issues, such as electoral bond transparency, voter roll integrity, and the urgent need for reforms in campaign financing.
By invoking these historic parliamentary debates, Gogoi positioned electoral reforms as not just a political demand but as a constitutional obligation.
With the Winter Session of Parliament approaching, his statement could serve to build momentum for the Opposition’s call for an open and time-bound discussion on necessary electoral reforms in India.