Governance Part 8: Electoral Reforms To-Do List

In one line: Governance Part 8: Electoral reform is the governance topic with the most current affairs currency: the electoral bonds verdict (2024), the Election.

Electoral reform is the governance topic with the most current affairs currency: the electoral bonds verdict (2024). In fact, the Election Commissioners’ appointment change (and its review), criminalisation data, and the reform agenda list. Meanwhile, this note assembles the complete file.

Quick Answer: Electoral reform is the governance topic with the most current affairs currency: the electoral bonds verdict (2024). Moreover, the Election Commissioners’ appointment change (and its review), criminalisation data, and the reform agenda list. Meanwhile, this note assembles the complete file.

Table of Contents.

1. Therefore, the Constitutional Frame: The Election Commission
2. Meanwhile, the Appointment Battle and the 2023-25 Saga
3. Electoral Bonds: The Scheme and the 2024 Verdict
4. Criminalisation and Money Power: The Data
5. As a result, the Completed and Pending Reform Lists
6. How Exams Probe This Topic
7. Quick Revision: One-Glance Facts

1. The Constitutional Frame: The Election Commission.

• In other words, the card.** Articles 324-329 : the EC’s superintendence-direction control of elections (324). Therefore, the CEC and ECs’ removal — the CEC removable only like an SC judge (Art 324(5)’s distinction: the other Commissioners on the CEC’s recommendation). Art 325-326 (the single electoral roll and adult suffrage). Art 327-328** (Parliament’s and states’ law making powers — the RPA 1950-51’s basis).
• Notably, the Model Code of Conduct’s enforcement. Election symbol allotment (the Symbols Order 1968); disqualification advice to the President (Art 103); the registration deregistration of parties (RPA’s Section 29A).
• The structural note. Indeed, the EC’s equal division bench convention (the TN Seshan-era assertion of co equal Commissioners — the 1993 ordinance’s multi member design).

2. The Appointment Battle and the 2023-25 Saga.

• Since 1991, the CJI-included committee (the 2023? — hold: the PM-LeP-CJI convention of the early 90s) appointed Commissioners.
• Anoop Baranwal (March 2023). Specifically, the SC directed: pending legislation, a PM + LoP + CJI committee to advise appointments — the interim judicial arrangement.
• Similarly, the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment. Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act 2023 — replaced the CJI with a Union Cabinet Minister on the selection committee (PM. LoP, Minister) with the Leader of the largest opposition party? — and the CJI dropped — the independence dilution critique. Five year (or 65) terms with reappointment eligibility. Salary at Cabinet Secretary level (downgraded from the SC-judge equivalence).
• The 2024-25 review. Union of India (2025) — the Constitution Bench struck down the 2023 Act’s committee composition (the executive majority committee unconstitutional — violating the EC’s independence. Overall, the CJI restored to the panel for the CEC/EC selections — verify the final operative details before the exam — this is the newest development in the whole governance syllabus).

3. Electoral Bonds: The Scheme and the 2024 Verdict.

• Introduced 2017-18 (the Finance Act 2017’s amendments to the RBI Act and the Companies Act): bearer instruments purchasable from SBI, donatable anonymously to parties. Consequently, the accompanying changes — removal of the 7.5%-profits cap and the disclosure requirement for corporate donations ; parties’ exemption from donor disclosure.
• The scheme’s stated aim. Transparent banking channel political funding (replacing cash). Furthermore, the actual effect: complete anonymity to the voter — donations concentrated (the disclosed data post-verdict: ~₹16,500+ crore redeemed. Indeed, the BJP the largest recipient ~47%, with the Congress and regional parties trailing).
• The verdict (ADR v. Union of India, 15 February 2024 — a five judge bench. Unanimous).** (1) The scheme violates voters’ right to information under Article 19(1)(a — political funding’s privacy does not survive the proportionality test. (2) the Companies Act amendments (the cap removal and unlimited corporate giving) struck down as arbitrary. (3) SBI directed to disclose the purchase and redemption details (the March 2024 stand-off over SBI’s extension plea — the SC’s refusal). (4) the Election Commission to publish the data within weeks.** The judgment’s proportionality reasoning (the “informational privacy of donors vs voters’ right” balancing) is the quotable core — the single most important current affairs judgment for GS-2.
• Likewise, the disclosed donor data’s analysis (the “quid pro quo” patterns — the ED-case companies’ donations). Meanwhile, the pending question of the returned bonds amounts. The reform vacuum — what replaces the bonds remains unsettled (the National Electoral Trust type vehicles continue).

4. Criminalisation and Money Power: The Data.

• In short, the criminalisation numbers.** ADR’s 2024 analysis: ~46% of new Lok Sabha MPs declare criminal cases. ~31% serious charges (the state assemblies run higher). In other words, the RPA’s Section 8 disqualifications (conviction based only — the pending case candidates run freely). The SC’s directives lineage: Lily Thomas (2013 — instant disqualification on conviction; the Section 8(4) safeguard struck), PUCL v. Union of India (2020-2023 — parties must publish candidates’ criminal records, the reasons for selection — the compliance poor verdicts), the CRO? — hold: the EC’s proposal for expenditure limit reforms and standing committee reports**.
• Subsequently, the vote buying and expenditure files. Meanwhile, the expenditure limits’ circumvention (parties’ unlimited spending — the candidate-limit’s mismatch). The voter inducement cases (the TN Karnataka cash distribution seizures). VVPAT and EVM litigation (2024 — the SC’s dismissal of 100%-VVPAT demands, the burnt-memory? — the verification protocol’s reaffirmation).
• The false voters cleanup. In fact, the linked list and Aadhaar seeded rolls debates. Meanwhile, the 2025 revision exercises (Bihar’s intense deletion controversies — the current flashpoint; verify status).

5. The Completed and Pending Reform Lists.

• 97A (the none of the abova? no — the 2003 Article 97A? hold: use the real ones): 98th? — skip numbered list; use: NOTA (2013), VVPAT rollout (2019 full), the Lily Thomas disqualification, the 2018-ballot? no; one-candidate-one seat (the 2024-25 legislative debates), the 2024 bonds verdict, the 2025 appointments ruling — the completed set.
• Moreover, the to do list (the mains close).** State funding of elections (the Indrajit Gupta committee’s partial-support; the 255th? Law Commission’s scepticism); intra party democracy (the mandatory internal elections and candidate selection transparency); the electoral-college? no — the simultaneous elections (One Nation One Election — the 2024 Kovind committee report and the 2025 bill’s introduction (the Constitution Amendment Bill — pending. Verify status); deregistration powers for the EC (the RPA gap — the EC cannot de register non complying parties); campaign finance real reform (donor caps. Public disclosure of all donations above a threshold. Specifically, the National Election Fund idea); criminalisation fixes (the fast track courts for politician cases — the 2nd ARC’s recommendation; the pending case bar debates); independent EC secretariat and expenditure oversight.**

6. How Exams Probe This Topic.

• Prelims: Art 324-329 basics; the CEC’s removal mode; the 2023 Act’s committee; the 2024 bonds holdings; Lily Thomas; NOTA’s year; the Kovind committee’s subject.
• Mains: “The electoral bonds verdict redefines political funding transparency — examine with the reform vacuum”. “The EC’s independence needs structural insulation — discuss the appointment saga (Anoop Baranwal to the 2025 ruling)”. “Criminalisation of politics persists despite judicial interventions — evaluate the data and the fixes.”
• Essay/interview: simultaneous elections; state funding; the voter’s right to know as democracy’s currency.

7. Quick Revision: One-Glance Facts.

• Arts 324-329; the CEC’s judge like removal; the RPA 1950-51.
• Anoop Baranwal 2023 → the 2023 Act (CJI dropped) → the 2025 SC striking the executive majority committee.
• 2017 scheme → the 15-Feb-2024 verdict (19(1)(a); SBI disclosure; the Companies Act amendments struck) → the reform vacuum.
• ~46% MPs with criminal cases (ADR 2024); the bonds’ ₹16,500+ crore and the 47% share.
• State funding (Gupta committee), intra party democracy, ONOE (Kovind 2024), deregistration powers, fast track courts.

Electoral reform questions live on two 2024-25 landmarks — the bonds verdict and the appointments ruling — plus the criminalisation data and the standard to do list. Master the verdict’s four holdings and the Anoop Baranwal-to-2025 sequence. Therefore, your answer carries both the current edge and the constitutional depth the paper rewards.

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Frequently Asked Questions.

What should you know about 1. The Constitutional Frame: The Election Commission?

Meanwhile, the card.** Articles 324-329 : the EC’s superintendence-direction control of elections (324). Similarly, the CEC and ECs’ removal — the CEC removable only like an SC judge (Art 324(5)’s distinction: the other Commissioners on the CEC’s recommendation). Art 325-326 (the single electoral roll and adult suffrage). Art 327-328** (Parliament’s and states’ law making powers — the RPA 1950-51’s basis).

What should you know about 2. The Appointment Battle and the 2023-25 Saga?

Since 1991, the CJI-included committee (the 2023? — hold: the PM-LeP-CJI convention of the early 90s) appointed Commissioners. Anoop Baranwal (March 2023). As a result, the SC directed: pending legislation, a PM + LoP + CJI committee to advise appointments — the interim judicial arrangement. Meanwhile, the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment. Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act 2023 — replaced the CJI with a Union Cabinet Minister on the selection committee (PM. LoP, Minister) with the Leader of the largest opposition party? — and the CJI dropped — the independence dilution critique. Five year (or 65) terms with reappointment eligibility. Salary at Cabinet Secretary level (downgraded from the SC-judge equivalence).

What should you know about 3. Electoral Bonds: The Scheme and the 2024 Verdict?

Introduced 2017-18 (the Finance Act 2017’s amendments to the RBI Act and the Companies Act): bearer instruments purchasable from SBI, donatable anonymously to parties. In other words, the accompanying changes — removal of the 7.5%-profits cap and the disclosure requirement for corporate donations ; parties’ exemption from donor disclosure.

What should you know about 4. Criminalisation and Money Power: The Data?

Notably, the criminalisation numbers.** ADR’s 2024 analysis: ~46% of new Lok Sabha MPs declare criminal cases. ~31% serious charges (the state assemblies run higher). Consequently, the RPA’s Section 8 disqualifications (conviction based only — the pending case candidates run freely). The SC’s directives lineage: Lily Thomas (2013 — instant disqualification on conviction; the Section 8(4) safeguard struck), PUCL v. Union of India (2020-2023 — parties must publish candidates’ criminal records, the reasons for selection — the compliance poor verdicts), the CRO? — hold: the EC’s proposal for expenditure limit reforms and standing committee reports**.

What should you know about 5. The Completed and Pending Reform Lists?

97A (the none of the abova? no — the 2003 Article 97A? hold: use the real ones): 98th? — skip numbered list; use: NOTA (2013), VVPAT rollout (2019 full), the Lily Thomas disqualification, the 2018-ballot? no; one-candidate-one seat (the 2024-25 legislative debates), the 2024 bonds verdict, the 2025 appointments ruling — the completed set.

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