

India records the world’s “highest number of cases” related to electoral malpractices, Tripura High Court Justice Subhashish Talapatra has said.

Addressing a seminar here on Saturday night, Justice Talapatra said such cases included “electoral corruptions and various types of electoral dishonesty”.

“During elections, many candidates or leaders get involved in various types of electoral malpractices, corruptions, but unfortunately no political party takes actions against such people.”

He said mere framing of laws would not help check electoral frauds unless people and leaders of political parties took corrective steps.

On a positive note, the judge said participation of increasing number of people in India’s electoral process was a good indication for the world’s largest democracy.

“Many decades back, 30 to 35 per cent people took part in the voting. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 65 to 75 per cent people cast their votes,” he said.

He praised people of Tripura and said over 90 per cent voters of the northeastern state have been using their democratic right in the last several elections.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar also spoke at the seminar, organised by publishing house Niharika. He suggested that to check electoral misconduct and other malpractices, the election expenditure of all political parties and candidates should be borne by the government.

Releasing a book on Indian electoral system written by former Electoral Officer Hiranmoy Chakraborty, Sarkar said it was an excellent proposal to hold counting of votes on the day of polling.

“Lengthy election process hampered developmental works and some times generate law and order problems,” said Sarkar.

–IANS