Inform Voters How Promises Will Be Funded: Poll Panel To Political Parties

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday wrote to the political parties for providing authentic information to the voters to assess the financial viability of their election promises.

"It cannot overlook inadequate disclosures on election promises and consequential undesirable impact on financial sustainability, as empty Election promises so made have far-reaching ramifications," the commission said in a statement.

The Election Commission prescribes a standardised disclosure proforma, facilitating comparability, with minute details broadly capturing standard parameters as used by FC, RBI, FRBM, CAG and in Budgets. 

While the existing guidelines under the Model Code of Conduct require the political parties and candidates to explain the rationale for promises made therein as well as the possible ways and means to finance such promises, the Election Commission of India said it has observed that the declarations are quite routine, ambiguous and do not provide adequate information to voters to exercise informed choice in an election.

The Election Commission said in a statement that during a meeting led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and attended by Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, it was decided that the poll panel "cannot remain a mute spectator" and overlook the undesirable impact of some of the promises and offers. 

This has come amid an ongoing political debate over freebie politics.