• A nationwide survey involving more than 2.7 lakh people revealed that for 41.34% respondents, distribution of liquor, cash and freebies was an important factor behind voting for a particular candidate in an election, according to the ADR.

ADR survey of India

• This is the third all-India survey commissioned by the ADR.
• 86% interviewees felt that candidates with criminal background should not be in Parliament or State Assembly.
• 89% were willing to vote for a candidate with criminal records if the candidate had done good work in the past.

Evaluating Govt. Performance

• The respondents rated the government’s performance on 31 listed issues as below average.
• On a scale of one to five, the respondents gave an average of 2.58 for better public transport, followed by 2.53 on the issue of electricity for domestic use and 2.52 for drinking water.
• The government’s performance on initiatives against river and lake water pollution was rated as 2.51; 2.48 for empowerment of women and security; just 1.37 on eradication of corruption; and 1.15 on the issue of terrorism.

Priorities of Voters

• As per the survey, better employment opportunities (46.80%), better healthcare (34.60%) and drinking water (30.50%) were the top three priorities, followed by better roads (28.34%) and better public transport (27.35%).
• Statewise, better healthcare was the highest priority in Assam (45.78%), Kerala (45.24%) and Rajasthan (43.13%) and drinking water was the most important factor for the respondents in Karnataka (50.42%), Andhra Pradesh (45.25%) and Kerala (44.77%).

About Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)

• The ADR is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization which works in the area of electoral and political reforms.
• ADR aims at bringing transparency and accountability in Indian politics and reducing the influence of money and muscle power in elections.
• National Election Watch (NEW) is a conglomeration of over 1200 organizations across the country.
• ADR has become the single data point for information/analysis of background details (criminal, financial and others) of politicians and of financial information of political parties.
• ADR has chosen to concentrate its efforts in the following areas pertaining to the political system of the country:

1. Corruption and Criminalization in the Political Process
2. Empowerment of the electorate through greater dissemination of information relating to the candidates and the parties, for a better and informed choice
3. Need for greater accountability of Indian Political Parties
4. Need for inner-party democracy and transparency in party-functioning