Sant Seechewal introduces amendment bill in Rajya Sabha to give legal recognition to election manifestos*

Chandigarh / Jalandhar

(  Justice News)

Taking a major step against political deception, Rajya Sabha MP and Environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has introduced the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as a Private Member’s Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The bill aims to bring electoral promises in Indian politics under legal accountability and is being seen as a historic initiative to provide legal recognition to election manifestos.

Sant Seechewal stated that if the bill is passed, promises made to the public during elections will no longer remain limited to speeches or paper documents; fulfilling them will become a legal obligation for governments. He emphasized that since India’s independence, political parties have made grand promises to voters, but there has been little accountability once in power, eroding public trust in democracy.

According to the bill, every political party or coalition will be required to submit its election manifesto to the Election Commission. Each promise will have to be categorized as short-term, medium-term, or long-term, along with its timeline, estimated cost, source of funds, and expected outcomes clearly stated.

Governments will have to provide regular progress reports on their promises, which will be made publicly available through a dedicated online portal. An independent monitoring committee, chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge, will be set up to oversee the promises and submit an annual report to Parliament.

The bill also includes strict provisions. Failure to fulfill promises will result in warnings, followed by fines running into millions of rupees, and deliberate misinformation will attract public censure along with substantial financial penalties.

Sant Seechewal noted that the bill is based on Supreme Court rulings from 2013 and 2021, which had called for a solid legal framework for election manifestos.

He added that the law will elevate election manifestos from being merely “political declarations” to becoming a “legal contract with the public.” The bill represents the voice of millions of voters who cast their votes in good faith but often feel betrayed afterward.