India is widely renowned as the “world’s largest democracy”, and elections are often described as the “keystone” of this democracy. In such a political milieu (where the quality of governance is greatly influenced by its political institutions, processes and leaders), electoral reforms have been spearheaded by a number of key players, including non-government organisations (NGOs), the independent Election Commission, and the judiciary. The media has always supplemented the efforts of these actors, highlighting the nature of and need for reforms. In India, where elected representatives are the key architects of development for their respective constituencies, any improvement in the quality of governance depends in part on the quality of electoral processes. Improving the quality of elections, therefore, is crucial for effective policymaking, development planning and policy implementation.

The past few decades, however, have witnessed a rapid deterioration in India’s democratic way of life. All over the country, democratic processes and institutions have come to be characterised by a lack of transparency and accountability. The abuse of financial and political power, the increasing criminalisation of politics, the rise of caste-ism and communalism, and asymmetrical information flows have frustrated citizens and alienated them from the electoral system. Ills plaguing the Indian society have been attributed to those in power, namely the politicians and the bureaucracy. On the one hand, the political institutions seldom reflect the mandate of the people, and therefore lack legitimacy. On the other hand, it can be argued that the root cause of the crisis is the apathy, indifference and illiteracy of Indian citizens.

It is in this context that in 1996, the Public Affairs Centre sought to intensify the involvement and interest of citizens in the electoral process, and to stimulate informed choices in the selection of candidates. Encouraged by the positive response to PAC’s first-of-its-kind campaign, carried out by citizens and the government alike, civil society groups across the country began to experiment with electoral reforms. This effort has developed over the years to encompass a range of programmes, such as cleansing the electoral rolls, studying the backgrounds of candidates and disseminating this information, advocacy with political parties against nominating persons with criminal backgrounds, and motivation campaigns to increase voter turnout. The impact of these initiatives is partly reflected in the reforms pertaining to various electoral issues and problems over the last five years. 

Objectives of PAC’s Electoral Interventions 

·         To enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process

·         To facilitate informed choices among voters

·         To enhance citizen participation during electoral revisions

·         To increase voter turnout

·         To secure the rights of voters

·         To promote the free and fair conduct of elections

·         To build the capacity of citizens to demand better governance