Role of Supreme Court of India in Election Reforms

Abstract

Supreme Court of India is the guardian of our Constitution and the highest court of law in India. Other than its routine powers, it has the power of legislative, administrative and judicial review. Elections in India are often influenced by money and muscle power of the political parties and wealthy industrialists. Election Commission and the Supreme Court of India have played an important role in trying to reduce the influence of money and muscle power in elections in order to make elections more transparent and honest. The more, the elections are free and fair, the stronger the allegiance the people will have towards democratic institutions. Contrary to this, if the elections are not free and fair, the people will not have faith in democracy. In addition to alleviating the evil consequences of the lethargy of the political leadership, its suspect actions in introducing law reforms in certain areas like election expenses have been diluted by the Supreme Court, by way of judicial activism. Some areas of election laws in which the Supreme Court has made creative efforts towards free and fair elections have been discussed in this research paper.