BACKGROUND GUIDE

MUNARCHY IIT ROORKEE 2025

ALL INDIA POLITICAL PARTIES MEET

(AIPPM)

AGENDA : Deliberations on Reforms for India’s

Electoral System: Fulfilling Perspective of the
Democratic and Constitutional Fabric
 Letter from the Executive Board
Greetings from the Executive Board,
It is a great pleasure for us to welcome you all to the All India Political Parties
Meet in MUNarchy at IIT Roorkee. In this committee you will have the
opportunity to discuss reforms needed in India’s electoral system while
fulfilling the perspective of the Democratic and Constitutional Fabric.
Before the committee, we would like to point out a few things. First being, the
points you make. If you are well researched, it will automatically reflect in your
speeches and questions, and that reflection holds immense power. An agenda
such as this is sure to bring with itself volatility. However, diplomacy is of
utmost importance. A balance between diplomacy and volatility is what the
committee looks for.
Second, learn about your portfolio, party policies and capture the mentality of
its representatives. Set up some basic goals that are appropriate for your
portfolio and act according to them. Find allies that your portfolio would side
with in reality as well.
Third, be respectful towards your fellow members and follow the Rules of
Procedure which will be explained on the first day of the conference and will
also be attached herewith.
The following study guide is a mere starting push to your research and should
comprise a small part of your entire research on the agenda and its sub topics.
Nevertheless, a hectic committee and your hard work come with its perks. Roam
around, make new friends and create memories which you will cherish.
All the very best !
Regards,
Kartik Deshwal(Moderator)
Sohan Paul(Deputy Moderator)
Deliberations on Reforms for India’s Electoral System : Fulfilling
perspective of the Democratic and Constitutional Fabric

With the recently concluded General Elections 2024, there's a spotlight on past
electoral reforms, from the founding of the Election Commission to the
introduction of Electronic Voting Machines and recent changes in the procedure
for appointment of election commissioners. These reforms reflect the continuous
evolution and enhancement of India's electoral system, capturing the essence of
democratic progress.
Key Electoral Reforms enacted in India :
Foundation of Election Commission and First General Election: The
Election Commission of India was founded on 25th January 1950, under the
leadership of Sukumar Sen (originally the commission had only a Chief Election
Commissioner). Inaugural General Election held from October 1951 to
February 1952, marking the participation of 17.5 crore voters amidst logistical
hurdles. Despite an illiterate electorate and refugee populations, India embraced
universal suffrage for citizens above 21 years.
Lowering of Voting Age: The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1989
reduced the voting age from 21 years to 18 years for the Lok Sabha as well as
the assembly elections. This was done to provide the unrepresented youth of the
country an opportunity to express their feelings and help them become a part of
the political process.
Deputation to Election Commission: In 1985, a provision was made that the
officers and the staff engaged in the preparation, revision and correction of
electoral rolls for elections are deemed to be on deputation to the Election
Commission for the period of such employment. These personnel, during that
period, would be under the control, superintendence and discipline of the
Election Commission.
ECI as Multi-Member Commission: The Election Commission of India (ECI)
became a Multi-Member Commission for the first time in 1989. On 1st January
1990, the positions of these additional election commissioners were abolished.
However, the ECI became a three-member body again on 1st October 1993
(with one Chief Election Commissioner and two election commissioners),
which remains the structure today.
Transition to Ballot Papers from Coloured Ballot Box: In the early years of
Indian elections, individual coloured ballot boxes were used for each candidate.
Voters would cast their votes by dropping paper ballots into the respective
boxes, a method that required meticulous counting and posed challenges in
preventing fraud and manipulation. The introduction of ballot papers marked a
crucial step towards streamlining the voting process. Voters would mark their
preferences on paper ballots, which were then collected and counted manually.
While this method improved vote counting accuracy, it still had limitations such
as potential errors and delays in announcing results.
Electronic Voting Machines: In 1989, a provision was made to facilitate the
use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections. The EVMs were used
for the first time in 1998 on experimental basis in selected constituencies in the
elections to the Assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. The
EVMs were used for the first time in the general elections (entire state) to the
Assembly of Goa in 1999. They are indigenously designed, developed and
manufactured by Bharat Electronic Ltd. and Electronics Corporation of India
Ltd. under technical guidance of the Election Commission's Technical Expert
Committee.
Provision Against Booth Capturing: In 1989, a provision was made for
adjournment of poll or countermanding of elections in case of booth capturing.
Booth capturing includes: seizure of a polling station and making polling
authorities surrender ballot papers or voting machines, taking possession of
polling station and allowing only one’s own supporters to exercise their
franchise, threatening and preventing any elector from going to polling station,
seizure of the place being used for counting of votes.
Model Code of Conduct (MCC): T.N. Seshan's tenure as CEC was one the
most influential periods for the ECI, marked by his efforts to enforce the Model
Code of Conduct (MCC) with greater efficacy. Originating in Kerala in 1960,
the MCC initially comprised basic 'Dos and Don'ts.' By 1979, the ECI, in
collaboration with political parties, expanded the code, including measures to
curb the misuse of power by the ruling party for unfair advantages in elections.
It was also during his tenure that electors’ photo identity cards (EPICs) were
introduced in 1993.
Allocation of Time on Electronic Media: Under a 2003 provision, the Election
Commission should allocate equitable sharing of time on the cable television
network and other electronic media during elections to display or propagate any
matter or to address the public.
Restrictions Imposed on Exit Polls: According to a 2009 provision,
conducting exit polls and publishing results of exit polls would be prohibited
during the election to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. “Exit-poll”
is an opinion survey regarding how electors have voted at an election or how all
the electors have performed with regard to the identification of a political party
or candidate in an election.
Online Enrolment in the Electoral Roll: In 2013, a provision was made for
online filing of applications for enrolment in the electoral roll. For this purpose,
the Central Government, after consulting the Election Commission, made the
rules known as the Registration of the Electors (Amendment) Rules, 2013.
None of the Above Option: The Supreme Court directed the Election
Commission to include the None of the Above (NOTA) option in ballot papers
and EVMs, allowing voters to abstain from voting for any candidate while
maintaining ballot secrecy. NOTA was introduced in elections in 2013, ensuring
voters' right to abstain from voting discreetly.
Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System: ECI started exploring the
possibility of introducing a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)
system to increase transparency and verifiability in the poll process. In 2011, a
prototype was developed and demonstrated before the ECI and its expert
committee. In August 2013, the Central government notified the amended
Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, enabling the ECI to use VVPAT with EVMs.
The VVPAT was used with EVMs for the first time in a bye-election from the
51-Noksen Assembly Constituency of Nagaland.
Appointment of Election Commissioners: Previously, the chief election
commissioner and election commissioners were appointed by the President on
the recommendation of the central government. However, in March 2023, the
Supreme Court in Anoop Baranwal vs Union of India Case highlighted the
recommendations from the Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms
(1990) and the Law Commission's 255th report on Electoral Reforms (2015).
Both committees suggested a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief
Justice of India (CJI), and the Leader of the Opposition for appointing the CEC
and ECs. The recent CEC and Other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service
and Term of Office) 2023 supersedes the Election Commission Act, 1991
covering the appointment, salaries, and dismissal procedures for the CEC and
ECs. Under the new law, the President appoints them based on
recommendations from a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister,
a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of the
largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.
Key Committees Related to Electoral Reforms
■ Dinesh Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms (1990)

■ Vohra Committee on Crime-Politics Nexus (1993)

■ Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998)

■ Second Administrative Reforms Commission Report on Ethics in

Governance (2007) headed by Veerappa Moily

■ Tankha Committee (Core Committee) on Election Laws and

Reforms (2010)
POSSIBLE AREAS OF FURTHER ELECTORAL REFORMS :
In order to put an end to all the ugly developments in the electoral process, the
concept of electoral reform assumes special importance. Electoral reforms seem
to have come to occupy a prominent position in national disclosure in recent
times. Chhokar (2001,p.3977) argues that the president of India R.K.
Narayanan, while inaugurating the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Election
Commission of India, which was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on
January 17,2001 referred in his speech that “serious malpractices (that) have
crept into the election process.” The President in his speech quoted the prophetic
writings of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1920s, “What if unworthy people get elected
because we do not come forward? If such people enter the legislatures, the
government will not be able to run the government of an awakened people and
it will be laughed at”. In the light of the recommendations given by the various
Committees and Commissions, the following suggestions may be put forwarded
in respect of electoral reform in India:
Criminalization of politics- The influence of muscle power in Indian politics
has long been a fact of political life since the First General Elections of 1952.
The National Commission to review the working of the Constitution mentioned
that according to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report to the Vohra
Committee: "all over India, crime syndicates have become a law unto
themselves. Even in the smaller towns and rural areas, muscle men have become
the order of the day. Some political leaders become the leader of these
gangs/armed Senas and over the years get themselves elected to local bodies,
State assemblies and national parliament”. The case of People’s Union for Civil
Liberties(PUCL)& Another Vs Union of India & Another which was decided
by the Supreme Court on 13th March,2003, has a far reaching positive and
resultant impact in the path of electoral reform. With this judgment, it has
become mandatory for candidates to declare their criminal antecedents, wealth,
educational qualifications etc. A three Judge bench said “A voter has a
fundamental right to know the antecedents of a candidate and this right was
independent of the statutory right under the election law”. The judges declared
that a voter is first a citizen of this country and apart from statutory rights; he is
having fundamental right conferred by the Constitution. Although the Supreme
Court has made mandatory for all the candidates to declare their criminal
antecedents, wealth, educational qualifications etc. but in real field it has not
been followed by any political parties. Some radical reform in the existing
structure of law needs to be taken urgently so that the political parties could
have taken certain initiative in removing this trend, and it can be done by
refusing tickets to politicians with a criminal background. There have been a
number of cases where persons under trial have contested elections, while being
lodged in jail, and have won. Unfortunately no political party has taken any
concrete steps to curb this menace.
Funding of elections and electoral reform - In the present day arena when the
electoral reforms appear to be corroding the vitality of political parties and
vitality of democracy it has been found that campaign expenditures play a
significant role in election outcomes. Krishna (2012, p.129) says that the
spending by candidates has a larger effect on the vote. If the laws relating to
funding of elections are intended to be effective with regard to their
transparency, they should be general in nature and all expenditure incurred. The
said accounts should be duly audited at the end of each year and the audited
accounts should be submitted to the Election Commission every year. The
Election Commission was required to publish the said accounts for public
information. This provision will help to bring transparency and openness in the
financial matters of the political parties. In the case of Gajanan Bapat v. Dattaji
Meghe the Supreme Court held that it is necessary for the political parties to
maintain a true and correct account of their receipts and expenditure including
the disclosure of the sources of receipt.
Electoral Rolls and Voter ID - The electoral process begins with the
preparation of electoral rolls. If any attempt has been made to reform the
electoral process in our country one must at first tackle the question of faulty
electoral rolls. The electoral rolls should be updated constantly and periodically
it should be posted on the web site of the Election Commission. Prior to
elections, these rolls should be printed and publicly displayed at the post offices
in each constituency, as well as at the panchayats or relevant constituency
Headquarters. In the present day global world the technology has been growing
so fast that an automated and well designed online system broken-down to
district level and it can be created without much hassle. The database would be
centrally computerized by the Election Commission and each voter/ adult
citizen would have a unique bar-coded ID number. This ID number would be
for life. In course of time, possession of such an ID card should be made
mandatory for all elections. This would serve the objective of contributing to
cleaning up the electoral process and it will also help in curbing the
impersonation and rigging.
Caste and Communal Hatred - The election campaigns which are crafted to
create or exacerbate tensions between communities and/or to incite feelings of
hatred based on caste, community, religion, race or language attract
disqualification at present but effective implementation of laws in this regard is
lacking. This deserves the highest degree of attention. If any election is
campaigned based on caste or religion and if any attempt is made to spread caste
and communal hatred in the society during elections should be punishable with
mandatory imprisonment.
Corrupt practices and election petitions - Section 8A of the Representation
of the People Act, 1951 (RPA) provides for disqualification on the ground of
corrupt practices during election. The current practice is that once the High
Court pronounces judgment on an election petition holding the candidate guilty
of corrupt practices, the case goes to the Secretary of the concerned State
Legislature or the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, as the
case may be. It is then forwarded to the President, who forwards it to the
Election Commission. Only then the Election Commission gets jurisdiction to
tender its opinion to the President based on which the disqualification order is
issued. The High Court is expected to give judgment on all election petitions
within 6 months, but in actual practice, it takes much longer time and often the
petitions remain pending for years and in the meantime, even the full term of
the House expires. Therefore, provision should be made that in the matters of
election the candidates who are disqualified on the grounds of corrupt practices,
the President should determine the period of disqualification under Section 8A
on the direct opinion of the Election Commission but not through the long
procedure which was currently experienced. This can be done by resorting to
the position prevailing before the 1975 amendment to RPA, 1951.In the opinion
of many activists and eminent persons, all election related petitions should be
heard by a separate judicial body and these petitions should be decided within a
time period of 6 to 12 weeks by the dedicated benches of special court. Special
election benches may be constituted in the High Courts and they should work
only for the disposal of election petitions and election disputes.
Reducing the Cost of Elections -There should be a systematic attempt under
law to reduce election expenditure. Various modes of electioneering which
creates public nuisance, namely, wall writings, campaign through loudspeakers,
holding rallies on the roads and parks, creating traffic jams, etc. can be
conveniently curbed by making necessary provisions under law or the rules
framed under the parent legislation. Already there exists some legal provisions
with regard to cost of elections but what is needed is better enforcement of the
provisions so made.
Right to recall and right to reject -There is an urgent need to include Right to
recall and Right to reject elected representatives by the Election Commission.
Recall is a process which enables voters dissatisfied with an elected official to
replace him before the expiry of his term of office, which will make them more
accountable to the people. On the other hand, the right to reject means when the
voter is not willing to vote in someone’s favour. Right to reject gives people
power to express discontent. In the last few decades we have seen that a great
deal of political instability was prevailing in our country. The reason is nothing
but the adoption of the Westminster model of “first-past-the-post” system of
elections which works mainly in communion with a two party system or a
limited number of parties. But in India there exist a large number of political
parties which appears to be the principal reason for the failure of this system in
India. According to the 170th report of the Law Commission, the first-past-the-
post system which was prevailing in our country had given rise to several
inequities and distortions in our electoral process due to the existence of a large
number of political parties. Therefore the system of FPTP should be curtailed,
as this system is now in vogue as it is not yielding a correct picture of the voter
preferences.
Anti-Defection Laws in India
India’s anti-defection law, encapsulated in the Tenth Schedule of the
Constitution, was introduced in 1985 to address political defections by
legislators. This legislation aims to maintain the stability of governments by
deterring elected members from switching parties for personal gain. A member
may face disqualification if they voluntarily relinquish their party membership
or disobey the party’s directives during voting. The Speaker or Chairman of the
respective legislative house adjudicates such cases.
The law has been scrutinized in several landmark cases. In Kihoto Hollohan vs.
Zachillhu (1992), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the
Tenth Schedule but allowed for judicial review of the Speaker’s decisions. In
Ravi S. Naik v. Union of India (1994), the Court interpreted “voluntarily giving
up” party membership broadly, encompassing actions beyond formal
resignation. Despite its intent, the law has faced criticism for stifling legitimate
dissent and debate within parties, as legislators are compelled to adhere strictly
to party lines. Additionally, delays in adjudication by presiding officers have
sometimes undermined its effectiveness. Reforms have been suggested to
address these challenges, including transferring the adjudicatory power from the
Speaker to an independent tribunal to ensure impartiality.
One Nation, One Election
The “One Nation, One Election” (ONOE) initiative proposes synchronizing
elections for the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and State Legislative
Assemblies to reduce the frequency and cost of elections. Historically,
simultaneous elections were the norm until 1967, after which electoral cycles
diverged. In September 2023, a High-Level Committee chaired by former
President Ram Nath Kovind was constituted to examine the feasibility of
reinstating simultaneous elections.
The committee’s report, submitted in March 2024, recommended implementing
ONOE in a phased manner. Key suggestions included setting an ‘Appointed
Date’ post the upcoming general elections to align electoral cycles by 2029,
necessitating constitutional amendments to Articles 83 and 172 to adjust the
durations of Parliament and State Assemblies. The report also advocated for a
common electoral roll and voter ID system to streamline the process.
Proponents argue that ONOE would reduce election-related expenditures,
minimize policy paralysis due to the Model Code of Conduct, and allow
governments to focus more on governance. However, critics express concerns
about the practicality of synchronizing diverse electoral cycles and the potential
undermining of federal principles. The proposal requires broad political
consensus and significant constitutional amendments, making its
implementation complex.
Conclusion:
India’s electoral system, a cornerstone of its democracy, has evolved through
significant reforms addressing voter accessibility, transparency, and
institutional integrity. From the establishment of the Election Commission in
1950 to the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the electoral
process has sought to balance efficiency with inclusivity. Initiatives like
lowering the voting age and enabling online enrolment have empowered
citizens, while safeguards such as Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPAT)
and restrictions on exit polls ensure accountability.
However, challenges persist. Criminalization of politics, faulty electoral rolls,
and campaign malpractices hinder progress. Proposals for reforms, such as “One
Nation, One Election,” aim to synchronize elections for fiscal efficiency and
policy continuity but demand constitutional amendments and federal consensus.
To uphold its democratic and constitutional fabric, India must address these
complexities through structured deliberations and bold reforms, fostering a
robust, inclusive electoral system reflective of its vibrant democracy.
REFERENCES:
https://lawmin.gov.in/documents/electoralreforms
https://ijrpr.com/uploads/V5ISSUE7/IJRPR31349.pdf
https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/cat_electoral_reforms/
https://prsindia.org/policy/report-summaries/specific-aspects-of-election-
process-and-their-reform
https://adrindia.org/sites/default/files/ECI_PROPOSED_ELECTORAL_REFO
RMS_December_2016.pdf
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2014497&utm
https://www.defactolaw.in/post/anti-defection-law-case-laws-and-10th-
schedule?utm
 RULES OF PROCEDURE
The All India Political Parties Meet neither adheres to parliamentary rules of
procedure nor MUN procedures. The committee will have its own independent
set of rules of procedures which are subject to circumstantial change(s). The All
India Political Parties Meet (AIPPM) is a non-technical yet powerful committee
supplementary to the parliament. The AIPPM serves as an important forum for
an unrestricted political debate taking into consideration that India has a multi-
party system. The AIPPM helps bring together the diverse perspectives and
opinions of various leaders and political parties to discuss and debate issues of
national importance to come to a solution regarding the same. The final
document of the meeting is in the form of recommendations to the Government
of India to solve the issues at hand. Furthermore, for such a document to be
passed in committee, a 2/3rd majority of the members present is necessary.
However, in the case of the AIPPM, the political parties and representatives do
not have the option to abstain and will compulsorily have to vote.

PROCEDURAL CONSTRUCT
• Members have the liberty to speak in either Hindi or English
• All documentation of the committee has to be in English.
• The individual speakers' time will remain at 60 seconds during other
public sessions
• Points: During the debate, the following points are in order from most
disruptive to least disruptive:
a. Point of Personal Privilege: This is the only point that can interrupt a
speaker and is used when a delegate cannot hear the speaker or is
experiencing mental or physical discomfort and wishes to be excused from
the committee.
b. Point of Information: This helps seek from delegates’ speeches or give
information in a delegate's speech. Suppose one finds that another delegate
 has mis-stated a particular information\fact, or stated something
questionable, or anything questionable portfolio did in real life. So, after
completing the delegate's speech. In that case, one may raise their placard
and, on being recognised, may ask a question or for valid evidence/Proof
to support their statement. The question can have up to two follow-ups,
requiring approval from the Moderator.
c. Point of Clarification: A delegate can raise this whenever they have a
question or would like clarification from the delegate who has just spoken.
d. Point of Order: This points out the procedural inconsistency or deviation
from the existing Rules of Procedure or for correcting any factual
inaccuracy made by members. If any delegate misstated a particular
fact\Stats then you may raise this in the format given by EB panel
e. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry: This is exercised when a delegate
wants to know anything about the Rules of Procedure from the EB panel.
Point of information and point of order can be verbally or via chit as per
EB’s discretion. But rest of the points have no marks and should be raised
verbally only.
ESTABLISHING SESSIONS IN COMMITTEE
The sessions that are established in committee can be of three types:
• PUBLIC SESSIONS: The period of public sessions varies between 15 to 30
minutes. However, the individual speakers' time will remain at 60 seconds. The
public session will take place in the presence of the media and outside observers.
Every word that is spoken by the different representatives during this session
will be enshrined in the public record, thereby it can be subjected to public
critique.
• MODERATED PRIVATE SESSION: All the exchanges that will take place
in the moderated private sessions will be out of reach of the media and outside
observers. Essentially like a moderated caucus, the session will be moderated
by the executive board. However, members cannot refer to anything that was
said or done during the private session while the public session is in motion.

• UNMODERATED PRIVATE SESSION: The unmoderated private session

is informal just like an unmoderated caucus.

@ Rebuttal- During the rebuttal round, all participants will have the
opportunity to engage in one-on-one debates with their opponents. A selected
group of members will come on stage for a total of 4 to 5 minutes to exchange
arguments, facts, information, and answer questions. Each member's
performance will be individually assessed during this round.
@ Question Session - The question session will be dedicated to asking and
answering questions in two phases. In the first phase, questions related to the
agenda will be addressed, and in the second phase, questions related to national
importance will be welcomed from the respective members.
ACCEPTANCE OF REPORTS
During committee, only reports by the government will be considered
legitimate. This included reports from Parliamentary committees, CBI Reports,
Standing Committees, Commissions Reports etc.
COMMITTEE DOCUMENTATION
• PRESS STATEMENTS: These statements are either written or verbal which
are made by the representatives directly to the national press.
• WRITTEN STATEMENTS: These statements can be used by the political
representatives to appraise the executive board of any policy line that could not
be discussed in committee in terms of speeches due to lack of time available.