Page 124 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

President of India Pratibha Patil and CEC Dr. S.Y. Quraishi at the first National Voters' Day celebration, January 25, 2011

instituted to spread awareness among voters about case related to ‘paid news’. Subsequently the decision
effective participation in the electoral process. The event was upheld in a judgment by the Hon'ble Supreme Court
organised by the Election Commission was addressed by of India on May 3, 2013.
the then President of India viz. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil.
On June 17, 2011 the India International Institute of
On February 3, 2011 the Election Commission Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) was
recommended to the Law & Justice Ministry that ‘paid launched as an arm of Election Commission of India. It was
news’ be declared as a criminal act attracting a minimum conceived as an advanced resource centre for learning,
of two years of imprisonment through amendment of research, training and extension for participatory
Representation of the People Act, 1951. However, using democracy and election management. The project moved
the powers already available under Section 10 A of the at great speed. It initially functioned from the Nirvachan
Act, the Election Commission on October 20, 2011 Sadan, but was subsequently moved to its spacious five-
disqualified a sitting legislator of Uttar Pradesh viz. Smt. acre campus in Dwarka, close to Indira Gandhi
Umlesh Yadav, from contesting again for three years, for International Airport. Heads of Election Management
suppressing expenditure in her election accounts, in a Bodies from other countries were present at the launch.

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