Mamata writes to PM for all-party meeting on public funding of elections

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call an all-party meeting on public funding of elections, expressing concern over reports of high expenses in this year's Lok Sabha polls. In a letter to the prime minister, she wrote, "The issue is broadly of electoral reforms and specifically to prevent corruption and criminality in our democratic polity. The time has come for government funding of elections which is the norm today in 65 countries in the world."

The Trinamool Congress had flagged the issue in its manifesto of 2014 and 2019 elections. "I urge you to call an all-party meeting with the single agenda of public funding of elections in India, with an objective of rooting out corruption," Banerjee wrote.