Pressure Builds for Modi to Overhaul Indian Campaign Finance

by Dramelin 8:00 AM 0 comments builds campaign election finance income indian modi money mr overhaul parties pressure reported undisclosed

But Mr. Pant said Mr. Modi would take on a campaign finance overhaul only if he emerged strengthened from coming state elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, India?s largest state. The Indian news media has reported he is trying to build a consensus for a campaign finance overhaul, but spokesmen for Mr. Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party could not be reached for comment on Wednesday evening. Mr. Chhokar said the reported income, although substantial, represented only ?the tip of the iceberg? of money spent on elections. From 2004 to 2015, 83 percent of the 33 billion rupees in total income reported by the Indian National Congress party came from undisclosed sources. Many experts say they believe that Mr. Modi?s cash ban, or demonetization, will have little impact in the long term in reducing undisclosed money unless he pushes through other key changes, including ones to campaign finance.