While the CPI-M has opposed to make public the income, assets and liabilities of political parties and bring them within the ambit of RTI Act for financial transparency in the political parties, the Congress supported the demands along with stringent anti-defection law. Addressing an open house discussion with political parties and civil society organizations of Tripura and Mizoram organized by National Election Watch (NEW), State Chapter, yesterday, CPI-M State Secretary Bijan Dhar opined that proposed auditing of accounts by the CAG-appointed auditors might attract unnecessary complication and would lead to favouritism and bureaucratic intervention.
He, however, proposed to monitor accounts of the parties through a system of checking and cross-checking on the basis of Income Tax returns besides, amending concerned sections of IT Act with the provision of more stringent punishment for concealing or providing wrong information.
Mr Dhar also opposed the proposed - The Political Parties Functioning (Registration and Regulation affairs etc) Bill, 2011, citing the view that this would not be helpful to strengthen the parliamentary democracy, on the contrary it may manifest authoritarian tendencies. " We agree with the proposal of disclosure of criminal antecedents of candidates, but are opposed to the proposal of disqualification of potential candidates only because of charge framed against him in the court of law, " Mr Dhar stated reiterating the demand for state funding of elections but diverge on order for repoll on the report of election observers. Meanwhile, Senior Congress leader and Assistant Solicitor General Pijush Kanti Biswas demanded that the Election Commission should not depend upon state machineries in conducting election and to ensure stern action against money and muscle power. The conference, however, released information on Functioning of Tripura Legislative Assembly (2008-12), analysis of Income of major political parties of Tripura, analysis of donations received by major political parties of Tripura and details of MLAs elected in 2008 Tripura Election. The conference resolved the demand to convict MLAs and MPs for misbehavior in the House under IPC and said poor attendance in the House by any of the members must be considered as disqualification and they must be barred from further participation in the House. NEW National Coordinator Anil Bairwal addressing media later stated that the analysis revealed Tripura recorded the lowest sitting of Assembly in past years in the country at 16 days and only 31 Bills passed in the House, while the attendance of Congress MLAs was found poor.