elections. Following the success of PAC’s Informed Choices Campaign in Bangalore, the campaign for electoral reforms soon spread to various parts of the country and has assumed a national character. Several civil society groups, notably the Association for Democratic Reforms, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Catalyst Trust, Lok Satta, and Agni, to name a few, continue to actively pursue the common goal of cleansing the electoral process by engaging various stakeholders in the governance for reform. While some of these initiatives have already led to revolutionary reforms, others have created a groundswell of public opinion and participation in the election process.

Over the years, PAC has initiated several regional and national campaigns, both independently and by networking with like-minded organisations. The dissemination of relevant information, the application of innovative tools, and the creative use of the media have been some of the key strategies used. Although, by and large, the impacts of these initiatives remain intangible, they have contributed to a more efficient and citizen-friendly system, a more responsive official machinery, and the encouragement of groups across the state and country to undertake similar initiatives. They have also resulted in a perceptible improvement in the attitude of officials, from one of hostility and indifference to that of mutual admiration and cooperation. With almost a decade of experience at the forefront of electoral reforms, PAC staunchly believes that any improvement in the quality of governance will neither be meaningful nor sustainable without a corresponding improvement in the quality of the elected leadership.

The uniqueness of PAC’s efforts lies in its ability to reach out to various stakeholders in the electoral arena, such as the electorate (citizens), candidates, officials in charge of electoral processes, and the media. Although PAC’s initial efforts were focused on empowering voters, it soon began to focus on working with the concerned authorities to improve the system. PAC’s campaigns have targeted two main stakeholders: (1) voters, who are the ultimate stakeholders, representing the demand side, and (2) election authorities, in charge of managing the process, representing the supply side. The information campaign initiated in 1996, which was a precursor to the landmark Supreme Court judgement on the mandatory disclosure of candidates’ antecedents, aimed to motivate voters to make an informed choice. This was followed by motivation and awareness campaigns aimed at urging citizens to exercise their fundamental right to vote. The outcome of these activities was a boost in participation on the part of informed citizens in the electoral process and increasing demands for accountability and transparency in the system. The media, too, were effectively utilised to spread this message to citizens who had hitherto resigned themselves to a corrupt and non-participatory system. Public participation and public support of PAC’s efforts, combined with the intense glare of the media, have resulted in increased pressure on authorities to perform. The resulting reforms, some initiated in collaboration with PAC, are proof of the power of advocacy and the citizens’ voice in ushering in reforms.