Apparently Arun Jaitley has today raised the issue of electoral funding. I can't find details, but in the meanwhile I came across the following news report of 2009 (source) which has some truly absurd comments by our "policy makers" and shows why India is so ill-served by its incompetent leaders (Gopalswami is an exception).

State funding of elections is not panacea for all ills facing the electoral system, experts, including Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, said on Saturday. 

"Public funding of elections is not the solution. Who will give guarantee that it will stop the flow of black money," Quraishi said at a seminar on electoral reforms, organised by Foundation for Advanced Management of Elections. 

 

He, however, said ceiling for spending in the elections could be increased from the present level of Rs 25 lakh per candidate in the Lok Sabha polls. 

 

"We can rationalise the ceiling. The ceiling level can be increased," he said. 

 

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said that the real threat to the electoral process is coming from the money power. 

 

"State funding is no answer. It will not stop the huge expenditure," he said. 

 

However, former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami favoured state funding as the best possible solution to the issue of flow of illegal money into the electoral system. 

 

"Money, gifts, jewellery and other things are distributed by candidates during election campaign to get votes. State funding is the best answer to stop such practice," he said. 

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