| Miscellaneous issues
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- Redelimitation based on census data should be restored in respect of constituencies within a State or union territory.
- The number of seats allotted to States in Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha should be frozen at the present level (except where State boundaries are altered) in order not to penalize the States with a good population control record. Any redelimitation should be within the States.
- Rotation of seats should be resorted to in case of SC seats and non-scheduled areas ST seats.
- Certain qualifying criteria may be imposed on independent (unrecognized party or non-party candidates) candidates to dissuade non-serious candidates - higher deposit, endorsement by a prescribed number of voters (say at least 100 for the Assembly and 1000 for Lok Sabha).
- The law relating to registration of parties (Sec 29 A of RP Act, 1951) should be amended to give the Election Commission the authority to deregister parties which do not adhere to essential requirements prescribed in the proposals relating to political parties.
- Section on 29 A(5) should be amended to read:
".......... that the association or body shall bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India by law established, and to democratic principles, and would uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India."
This will make it possible for any democratic party committed to constitutional principles to be registered without having to resort to dissimulation.
- An independent auditing authority should be established for auditing annual statements of income and expenditure of political parties and the statement of assets. Alternatively, the accounts should be audited by an auditor approved by the Election Commission.
- An election should be treated as void if the percentage of polling in a constituency is below 40%. If the polling percentage is lower, there should be a re-election.
- The practices described as corrupt practices must be penalized and prevented by the Election Commission before the election, and must not be left to election petitions later. An appropriate amendment should be made to RP Act to this effect.
- Election Commission should be the final authority to decide on all election petitions. The Commission shall dispose of election petitions within 6 months from the date of polling.
- Election Commission should have the rule making power on its own in matters relating to supervision and conduct of elections.
- Bye-elections should be held only in the first three years of the life of the legislature. Other vacancies must remain unfilled. Bye-elections should not be held at random times, but only in February or November. Alternatively, there shall be no bye-election in the event of a vacancy. In case of Lok Sabha, the members of Legislative Assembly in the area will elect a member to fill the vacancy. In case of the Legislative Assembly, the local governments in the district / area will elect a member to fill the vacancy.
- The Election Commission should be made truly autonomous. For this purpose the following are necessary:
- Selection of the CEC by a collegium consisting of the Prime Minister, leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice, Speaker of Lok Sabha and Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
- Selection on of the other ECs by the above Collegium and the CEC.
- Making expenditure on the Election Commission charged to the consolidated fund of India.
- Making the EC secretariat independent of the government.
- Delegating all rule-making power to the EC.
- Prohibiting any non-elective public office for CEC / EC after retirement.
- For enhancing Women's representation, the party-quota model proposed by the Election Commission and endorsed by various groups including the Forum for Democratic Reforms should be adopted.
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