She also demanded that government funding for elections should be the norm in India as well since it is followed in 65 countries
Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to call an all-party meeting to discuss public funding of Indian elections. She also pressed on the need for electoral reforms.
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Banerjee cited a report titled 'Poll Expenditure, the 2019 election' by the Centre of Media Studies (CMS) and said that Lok Sabha elections 2019 were the "most expensive election ever, anywhere" and twice as expensive as the Parliamentary election held in 2014.
She also demanded that government funding for elections should be the norm in India as well since it is followed in 65 countries.
"India has gained notoriety of having spent the largest amount of funds in elections in 2019 in the world. I urge you to call an all-party meeting with the single agenda of public funding of elections in India, with the objective of rooting out what has been called the mother of all corruptions", the letter sent to Prime Minister by Banerjee read.
General Elections 2019 were held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 this year while the results were declared on May 23.
(with inputs from ANI)
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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies