Friday, December 23 2005 13:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Faced with a growing need for cleaner and cheaper elections, the Government has pulled out the seven-year old Indrajit Gupta committee report outlining sweeping electoral reforms and asked the Election Commission to consider the issue of state funding of elections.

The committee set up in 1998 under the late Communist Party of India (CPI) veteran had recommended creation of a separate election fund and providing facilities in kind like petrol or diesel for vehicles during campaign, loudspeakers and a telephone with specified number of free calls to candidates of recognised political parties.

The Union Cabinet, which met last night under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has accepted the recommendations of the Indrajit Gupta committee and asked the Election Commission to consult the political parties on the issue.

The EC has been asked to convene a meeting of the leaders of political parties to get their candid opinion on state funding, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told reporters here today (Dec 23, 2005).

The Government announcement comes close on the heels of two sting operations showing MPs taking money purportedly for raising questions in Parliament and for clearing projects under the MPLAD scheme.

Some of the MPs caught on camera taking money saw nothing wrong in doing so on the ground the Parliamentary elections involved huge expenditure.

Dasmunsi said the EC during parleys with political leaders would ascertain whether the steps suggested by the Indrajit Gupta committee were enough or more needed to be done.