Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Gatsby And The American Dream - 2062 Words

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Having money, a big house, and a happy family is the epitome of what the American Dream is really about. In the book The Great Gatsby, the upper class people like Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, live their younger years abusing their wealth without thinking about the affect they have on themselves, as well as others and what the American Dream is truly about. The meaning of the American Dream can be looked at from different perspectives. So many people work hard everyday and devote their lives to live the American Dream. In The novel The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald conveys the main protagonist, Jay Gatsby, as he attempts to live the American Dream. Sometimes people are unable or†¦show more content†¦Jay Gatsby turns his life around and becomes a successful man in life. â€Å"And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsbys wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisys dock. He h ad come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Fitzgerald 149). Fitzgerald shows that here in America people are given better opportunities as well as more opportunities to achieve their dreams, by working hard and believing in what they do for a living. Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby almost achieves the American Dream, having all of its benefits like increased social status and wealth. Gatsbys perspective of the world is what draws people to him and makes them want to be around him. In the book, the main characters thought process about the meaning of life is through in some ways, like marriage, wealth, and sometimes like children. As shown in The Great Gatsby, the people in the novel never haveShow MoreRelatedGatsby And The American Dream1180 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream and Gatsby’s Dream in the gigantic city of New York during the roaring 20’s have many similarities. Gatsby becomes lost in his journey to his dream through life when getting re-acquainted with a young â€Å"golden† girl by the name of Daisy. He falls in love with her at such a young age it seems that this is the only girl for him. His only dream is to get Daisy. It’s sad to say due to Gatsbys tunnel vision and isolation, he struggles to create or maintain close relationships in theRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1401 Words   |  6 PagesThe Real American Dream Since its institution, the United States has been revered as the ultimate land of ceaseless opportunity. People all around the world immigrated to America to seek quick wealth, which was predominately seen in the new Modern era. Beginning in the late 1800s to the early 1900s, the period introduced progressive ideas into society and the arts. Accompanying these ideas was a loss of faith in the American Dream and the promise America once guaranteed, especially after WorldRead MoreThe Great Gatsby and the American Dream1442 Words   |  6 PagesPursuit of Happiness. This sentiment can be considered the foundation of the American Dream, the dream that everyone has the ability to become what he or she desires to be. While many people work to attain their American dream, others believe that the dream is seemingly impossible to reach, like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby examines the Jazz-Age generations search for the elusive American Dream of wealth and happiness and scrutinizes the consequences of that generationsRead MoreThe American Dream : The Great Gatsby Essay1568 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream: The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story on the surface, but its most commonly understood as a suspicious critic of the American Dream. In the novel Jay Gatsby overcomes his poor past to gain an incredible amount of money and a limited amount of social cache of in the 1920s NYC, only to be rejected by the â€Å"old money† crowd. The focus of my paper would be the pathway towards the American Dream and how it affects the person and others around. The American dreamRead MoreGatsby American Dream Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesThe American dream is defined as â€Å"an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative† (Google). There were many conflicts that interfered with trying to reach each individual s dream. Each character had their own meaning of their dream, Jay Gatsby especially. He had a big impact in his life, Daisy, which led to failure in his own American dream. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby almost lived out his American dream, by findingRead MoreThe American Dream ( The Great Gatsby )1173 Words   |  5 PagesSLIDE. *POINTS TO PICTURE LIVING IN THE AMERICAN DREAM (THE GREAT GATSBY). Did anyone notice anything that caused a change in society between these two pictures? *POINTS TO SOMEONE WITH ONE OF THE ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ/QUESTION. READS OUT THE RAPID ECONOMIC BOOMING AND GREED. *NEXT SLIDE. That’s correct! During the 1920s of the Jazz Age in concurrence with the â€Å"Roaring Twenties†, America had experienced a rapid economic booming after World War I. The American society experienced an economic and politicalRead MoreThe Great Gatsby American Dream1414 Words   |  6 Pagesfilm is based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It follows Jay Gatsby, a man who molds his life around one desire: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. Gatsby s quest leads him from poverty to wealth, into the arms of his beloved, and eventually to death. Nick Caraway is the narrator, or storyteller, of The Great Gatsby, as well as Daisy s cousin who happens to live next door to Great Gatsby. Daisy represents the paragon of perfection. She has the aura of charmRead MoreAmerican Dream In The Great Gatsby1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe American Dream has various implications for diverse individuals. For some people, the concept implies that one can accomplish his or her objectives and goals through living this dream. To others, it provides a beacon of hope, as an open door that individuals desperately desire to enter in pursuit of opportunities. The Americans after World War I, boosted by the emotions of the war, had an uncontrollable vigor about accomplishing and displaying an extravagant way of life and achieving a high socialRead MoreGatsby American Dream Essay1363 Words   |  6 Pages The American Dream The great Gatsby is a classic novel in which money is centered around everything. All Jay Gatsby wants to do is live the American dream. Some say Gatsby did live the American dream. Though Gatsby made lots of money and threw tons of parties their was one thing he was missing. The thing Gatsby was missing was a peaceful state of mind and a lover. In this book written by Scott Fitzgerald called The Great Gatsby Jay Gatsby finds out the American Dream isn t attainableRead MoreGatsby Essay : The American Dream1051 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream is achievable depending on your perspective and/or attitude. One person can look at the glass as half full, or half empty. Throughout The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby is not able to achieve his dream while Sofia, from the book How the Garcà ­a Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez, was able to. It all depended on how they looked upon achieving their goal. In the end, the American dream is to be surrounded by what makes you happy and what you have achieved. Sofia

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Greek Mythology A Normative Critique - 1754 Words

Truly Mythology? The Modern Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique. Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece. Modern scholars refer to and study the myths in an attempt to shed light on the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization, and to gain understanding of the nature of myth-making itself. Greek mythology is explicitly embodied in a large collection of narratives, and implicitly in Greek representational arts, such as vase-paintings and votive gifts. Greek myth attempts to explain the origins of the world, and details the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines and mythological creatures. These accounts initially were disseminated in an oral-poetic tradition; today the Greek myths are known primarily from Greek literature. Archaeological findings provide a principal source of detail about Greek mythology, with gods and heroes featured prominently in the decoration of many artifacts. Geometric designs on pottery of the eighth century BC depict scenes from the Trojan cycle as well as the adventures of Heracles. In the succeeding Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, Homeric and various other mythological scenes appear, supplementing the existing literary evidence. GreekShow MoreRelatedOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagespostmodernism anything new? The history Post-industrialism and the information society The virtual organization Neo-fordism, flexible specialization and post-fordism The regulation school Institutionalist school The ‘managerialist’ school The flexible firm – critique Postmodern organizations – the work of Stewart Clegg and Paul Heydebrand Conclusions 198 198 200 202 205 206 211 213 215 217 220 225 227 234 Chapter 6 Postmodernism as a philosophy: the ultimate challenge to organization theory? IntroductionRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesBrown, Jonathan Reader, and Roger Shinn, whose advice and insights have helped to shape the focus and hone the arguments of this book. Third, the research for this book was facilitated by Barry Chevannes, who directed me to resources and provided critique of my approach; Samuel Vassel, who was not only my intellectual sounding board but also the most avid supporter throughout the entire project; and Charlene Adams, my research assistant in 2001, who read the manuscript and suggested many editorial Read MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pagesthing is expressed. Being extrinsic, signification can only derive from a convention; it is of necessity obligatory, since one would deprive it of its only support—consensus—by rendering it optional. This, one recognizes, is the famous thesis of the Greek philosophers. There is more than one difference between expression and signification: One is natural, the other conventional; one is global and continuous, the other divided into discrete units; one is derived from beings and things, the other from

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Computers the Good and the Bad Free Essays

Computers Hold So Much Information; Sometimes Causing More Harm Than Good After reading a few short stories and conducting research on the subjects, I have found some interesting facts about how the computer has changed people’s lives. Computers have become the basis on which our society now depends; they are the key to communication, business, and success for many. Problems can arise however and privacy can be a major issue especially when it comes to certain websites such as MySpace and Facebook. We will write a custom essay sample on Computers the Good and the Bad or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some people feel they have been violated of their rights and this is when the computer can become your worst enemy, not to mention how the computer has changed people’s ways of thinking and dealing with everyday tasks. â€Å"If it is a public forum that is accessible to others, then presumably the police are welcome to participate, as they would be welcome to enter a shopping mall or something like that†(Rotenberg). There are millions of users on websites such as Facebook and MySpace, these people are posting pictures, comments, and even communicating with friends and family. What many don’t realize, is that they are posting it for everyone to see. There have been incidents where the law has been involved in using these websites to catch criminals or even people who have been accused of a crime. â€Å"MySpace has encouraged it’s users to be aware that what they post on their profile is available for the public to see† (Mathew Grossman). MySpace and even Facebook have made it very clear that its users be aware of the risks they are taking by posting any personal information. They have settings which can be used to block certain users or to make your profile private. That way you can control who you want to see your page and interact with. The law has become involved in catching criminals or people involved in criminal acts by searching public profiles. They can read posts and even see pictures that an individual has posted, making it easier to get the persons personal information. They can get names and locations from the profile just by searching the page. And some are not aware that they are being searched this way. There have been issues with employers and their employees when it comes to the postings that are taking place for the public to see. Employers need to be aware of potential liability for employee’s publication of private information on Facebook and MySpace. For example a woman was convicted of cheating on her husband and accused of contracting an STD, her MySpace profile revealing these comments by others who claim it being true and stating it for everyone to see even other employees in her workplace. Working in the medical field where other employees were capable of retrieving her medical records she was now being tormented at work. The woman claimed invasion of privacy and took the case to court. The court suggested that since MySpace is public and considered a social network they cannot hold her employer liable for any accusations being brought against her by the employees on her profile. The MySpace page she claimed was made against her will and that her coworkers were to blame. This being questionable and not having proof as to who had actually posted it, nothing could be done. â€Å"Machines are being designed to serve explicitly as companions, pets, and tutors† (p 553, Turkle). Machines meaning computers are not only needed but we rely on them to do everyday tasks, we even depend on them to curve our boredom. At every step we need to ask, as educators and citizens, whether current technology is leading us in directions that serve our human purposes† (p 554, Turkle). Computers are used today to conduct work for businesses, pay our bills, communicate with others, even to play games and learn. Have they caused us to forget who we really? We spend hours upon hou rs on the computer and we sometimes can get so lost in the machine. For example, Susan a neuroscientist questions, of whether and how our current use of computers is changing the way our brains work. Susan finds that the visual stimuli we get from computers is so different from what is available in previous generations that certain areas of our brain may be affected in ways that can change personality and behavior. Few argue that when they turn from a computer back to a textbook they notice their concentration is lacking causing them some trouble to stay focused. The real problem caused by computer use is that we as human beings do not need to work as hard because the computer can do it for you, and the information is right there. This can be a problem especially for our youth, they will not have to do what it takes to use their brains and they will not have the thinking power or level of concentration we adults once needed. They will depend on the computer and computer only, to get things done. The Writers of these articles and short stories are showing their concern for the negative side of computers. They explain how people are being affected in certain situations due to issues of the computer and how their lives have been negatively affected. Each writer gave valid points and stated facts on the subjects when it came to using a computer. They explained the situations of each subject and the outcome of the issues being discussed. They supported the cases of how an individual can become a victim of false accusations on a profile and then being harassed by employees whom became involved in the woman’s personal life via MySpace or Facebook, and how the computer can damage our past ways of thinking and concentrating thus making it a lot harder to focus on everyday tasks that involve logical thinking. The writers clearly showed their concern and found existing facts on why a computer can and will affect people’s lives. The writers show that a computer must be used responsibly or there will be consequences. Works Cited 1. Alex Koppelman, MySpace or Ourspace? (p546-557) ;The Bedford Guide to College Writers(X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, Marcia F. Muth) 2. Sherry Turkle, How Computers Change The Way We Think? (p552-558) ;The Bedford Guide to College Writers. (X. J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, Marcia F. Muth) 3. www. fredlaw. com , (1995-2010 Fredrikson Byron P. A. ) 4. www. bbc. co. uk , (BBC News) ; Changing The Way We Think. (Susan Greenfield) How to cite Computers the Good and the Bad, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Election Commissio free essay sample

All members of the federal legislature, the Parliament, are directly elected. Elections in India take place every five years by universal adult suffrage . India is the largest democracy in the World. Since 1947 then free and fair elections have been held at regular intervals as per the principles of the Constitution, Electoral Laws and System. The Constitution of India has vested in the Election Commission of India the superintendence , direction and control of the entire process for conduct of elections to Parliament and Legislature of every State and to the offices of President and Vice-President of India. An independent Election Commission has been established under the Constitution in order to carry out and regulate the holding of elections in India. The Election Commission was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950. Originally a Chief Election Commissioner ran the commission, but first in 1989 and later again in 1993 two additional Election Commissioners were appointed. The Election Commission is responsible for the conduct of elections to parliament and state legislatures and to the offices of the President and Vice-President. Indian Elections, the Largest Event in the World The independence of India came with the sorrow of partition of the country. After independence the main aim of the members of the constituent assembly was to make independent constitution for the country that would serve the people with the greatest happiness and prosperity. There was a requirement of democratic Government in India, which required the General Elections to be held in the country of 17 Crore eligible voters that time. General elections to the first Lok Sabha since independence were held in India between 25 October 1951 and 21 February 1952. These Elections are known as 1952 Elections as most part of India casted its vote in this year. The Indian National Congress (INC) stormed into power with 364 of the 489 seat. Conduct of General Elections in India for electing a new Lower House of Parliament (Lok Sabha) involves management of the largest event in the world. The electorate exceeds 668 million voting in 800,000 polling stations spread across widely varying geographic and climatic zones. Polling stations are located in the snow-clad mountains in the Himalayas, the deserts of the Rajasthan and in sparsely populated islands in the Indian Ocean. Legal Provisions Regarding Election Verdicts Judicial Review The decisions of the Commission can be challenged in the High Court and the Supreme Court of the India by appropriate petitions. By long standing convention and several judicial pronouncements, once the actual process of elections has started, the judiciary does not intervene in the actual conduct of the polls. Once the polls are completed and result declared, the Commission cannot review any result on its own. This can only be reviewed through the process of an election petition, which can be filed before the High Court, in respect of elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures. In respect of elections for the offices of the President and Vice President, such petitions can only be filed before the Supreme Court. Now after discussing all these provisions, laid down under Constitution of India regarding Election Commission, the elections, the election officers, the grave question arises is that whether the Elections are conducted fairly and also, is participation as an candidate or a part of civil society(the people of India)? Now let us discuss the requirements of Electoral Reforms for conducting fair elections and to form a good Democracy. Regarding this issue the Election Commission has proposed many reforms, and submitted to the Government in hope to help implement them. Some of them have been implemented but still the aim has not been achieved. Still there is a great requirement of Election Laws in Country like India. Consultations on Electoral reforms India has the largest Democracy in the world. However, there is a need to strengthen this democracy which can happen only with some reforms in our electoral system. There has been an urgent need for electoral reforms and demand for this need has been made by many government committees and civil society organizations. Hence, the initiative taken up by the Ministry of Law and Justice along with the Election Commission of India is appreciated and it surely is a step forward to accomplish this endeavor . Discussion on Various Reports There has been a growing concern over the years in India about several aspects of our electoral system. The Election Commission has made changes in several areas to respond to some of the concerns. There have also been a number of committees which have examined the major issues pertaining to our electoral system and made a number of recommendations. But there remain some critical issues that might need legislative action to bring about the required changes. †¢The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008) †¢Election Commission of India – Proposed Electoral Reforms (2004) †¢National Commission to review the Working of the Constitution (2001) †¢Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws (1999) †¢Vohra Committee Report (1993) Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998) †¢Goswami Committee on Electoral Reforms There has also been a great deal of substantive work on the topic of Electoral Reforms undertaken by various civil society groups, which have contributed significantly to the public discourse on the subject. The Role of the ANTI-DEFECTION LAW The 10th Schedule to the Indian Constitution, that is popularly referred to as the ‘Anti-Defection Law’ was inserted by the 1985 Amendment to the Constitution. ‘Defection’ has been defined as, â€Å"To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group† The Advanced Law Lexicon efines defection as, â€Å"crossing the floor by a member of a Legislature is called defection. † The reasons for the addition of this Schedule were explained by the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Fifty-second Amendment (1985) to the constitution. The scope of this anti-defection law was examined in detail in Kihoto Hollohan v Zachillhu, a case that also analyzed various other aspects of this legislation also. Here, the court, spoke about the necessity of an anti-defection legislation, The introduction of Schedule X in the Constitution attempted to bring in a comprehensive legislation that would assail the menace of defection. While the law has succeeded in this aspect to a reasonable degree, there were certain ambiguities. The Courts of the land have done a fair job in expounding the stance by applying the law to particular facts and circumstances. Nevertheless, very few general propositions have been laid down which have a universal application. Thus, there seems to be considerable scope for judicial interpretation, one that may give further clarity on the law and may bring in a wider range of cases within the umbrella of this legislation. Proliferation of Non-Serious Candidates The abuse of religion and caste in the mobilization of voters. Potential solutions to these problems are outlined in this paper. This paper also takes consideration of major issues dealing with the role of political parties in the electoral system: proliferation of non-serious parties; process of recognition and DE recognition of political parties; disclosure of assets and liabilities of parties; and audit and publishing of assets and liabilities. Resolution of election petitions and disputes, as well as rulings on defections, are two important processes seen to be operating in a slow and inefficient manner by many pervious committees. This paper reviews recommendations made to mitigate these problems. The Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, has constituted a Committee on Electoral Reforms. The main purpose of the Committee is to recommend to the government concrete ways in which our electoral system can be strengthened. The Committee will take into account the opinions of political leaders, Government servants, legal experts, NGOs, scholars, academics, journalists, and other stakeholders. The purpose of this background paper is to recap some of the key issues with our electoral system, and to briefly examine the recommendations made by some recent committees in this regard. It is hoped that this background paper will be a starting point to renew a national dialogue on the important changes that need to be brought about to strengthen our electoral system. The purpose of this paper is to provide background information on issues in our electoral process and outline some electoral reform options that have been considered in the past, in order to serve as a platform for a renewed national dialogue on electoral reforms. Disclosure of criminal antecedents of candidates Each candidate must file an affidavit regarding- i)cases, if any, in which the candidate has been accused of any offence punishable with imprisonment for two years or more in a pending case in which charges have been framed by the court, and (ii)Cases of conviction for an offence other than any of the offences mentionedin Section 8 of Representation of the People Act, 1951, and sentenced to imprisonment for one year or more. (iii)In addition to this, pursuant to the order of the Election Commiss ion on March 27, 2003, candidates must file an additional affidavit stating- ? information relating to all pending cases in which cognizance has been taken by a Court, ? ssets and liabilities, and ?educational qualifications. The affidavit is given in a form prescribed by the Election Commission of India. Recommendations In report on Proposed Election Reforms, 2004 The Election Commission of India recommended that an amendment should be made to Rule 125A of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to provide for more stringent punishment for concealing or providing wrong information on Form 26 of Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 to minimum two years imprisonment and removing the alternative punishment of assessing a fine upon the candidate. It also recommended that Form 26 be amended to include all items from the additional affidavit prescribed by the Election Commission, add a column requiring candidates to disclose their annual declared income for tax purpose as well as their profession. The Law Commission of India Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws, 1999, suggested that an amendment be made to the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to insert a new section 4A after section 4 to make declaration of assets and criminal cases pending against the candidate part of the qualifications necessary for membership to the House of the People. Eligibility of candidates with criminal cases pending against them Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides for disqualification of candidates from contesting an election on conviction by a Court of Law. In subsection (i) It lists certain crimes and stipulates a disqualification period of six years from the date of conviction. In subsection (ii)It lists a different set of crimes and provides for the candidate to be disqualified for six years from the date of his release for that conviction. In subsection (iii)It provides that any candidate convicted for a crime for which the minimum imprisonment is two years shall also be disqualified for six additional years after his release. Recommendations by Election Commission and Law Commission of India Right to Reject: Both the Election Commission and Law Commission of India recommend that a negative or neutral voting option be created. Negative/ neutral voting means allowing voters to reject all of the candidates on the ballot by selection of a â€Å"none of the above† option instead of the name of a candidate on the ballot. In such a system there could a provision whereas if a certain percentage of the vote is negative/neutral, then the election results could be nullified and a new election conducted. Financing of Elections It is widely believed that in many cases successfully contesting an election costs a significant amount of money that is often much greater than the prescribed limits. A Consultation Paper to the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001, noted that â€Å"the campaign expenditure by candidates is in the range of about twenty to thirty times the legal limits†. There are many negative social impacts of this high cost. Chapter 4 of the Report of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001, notes that the high cost of elections â€Å"creates a high degree of compulsion for corruption in the public arena† and that â€Å"the sources of some of the election funds are believed to be unaccounted criminal money in return for protection, unaccounted funds from business groups who expect a high return on this investment, kickbacks or commissions on contracts, etc. It also states that â€Å"Electoral compulsions for funds become the foundation of the whole super structure of corruption†. A number of remedies have been recommended by previous committees for curbing the negative impact of the high cost of elections: Official limits on campaign expenditure The legal position on expenditure in the case of India is outlined in section 77 of the Representation of the People Act 1951. Currently, limits on campaign e xpenditure are fixed at certain amounts depending on the nature of the election. However, it is believed that these limits are violated with audacity. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the actual cost of running an election campaign is often much greater than the prescribed spending limit. Recommendations of National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001 The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution, 2001, recommended that the existing ceiling on election expenses for the various legislative bodies should be suitably raised to a reasonable level reflecting increasing costs. The ceiling is currently Ra 25 lakh for a Lok Sabha seat and Rs 10 lakh for an Assembly seat. In order to cope with rising expenditures over time, this ceiling should be fixed by the Election Commission from time to time and should include all the expenses by the candidate as well as by his political party or his friends and well-wishers and any Recommendations by National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution recommended a follow-up action to the declaration of assets and liabilities by candidates that the particulars of the assets and liabilities of both candidates and political parties should be audited by a special authority created specifically under law for this purpose. Accounts of candidates and parties should be monitored through a system of checking and cross-checking through the income tax returns filed by candidates, parties, and their well wishers. At the end of the election each candidate should submit an audited statement of expenses under specific heads. Victimization of officers drafted for election duties The Election Commission utilizes the services of a large number of government officers for election duties, who perform important statutory functions in connection with preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections. The Election Commission has observed many of these officers are later subjected to humiliation and even vindictive disciplinary action by the government. Recommendations by the Election Commission The Election Commission recommends that, in the case of the government officers performing statutory functions in connection with preparation of electoral rolls, or in the conduct of elections, consultation with the Election Commission and its concurrence should be made compulsory before initiating any disciplinary/legal proceedings by the government. In the case of those officers who have ceased to hold election related positions, consultation with the Commission should be mandatory for initiating any disciplinary/legal proceedings for a period of one year from the date on which the officer ceased to hold election related position. Disqualification for failure to lodge election expenses Under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission may disqualify a candidate for three years for failure to lodge the account of election expenses as per the requirement of the law. Thus, the period of disqualification may end by the time of the next general election to that House. Therefore, no effective purpose is served by the disqualification (except that the person cannot contest in the odd bye-election that may be held during the 3 year period). on Electoral Reforms Auditing of Finances of Political Parties As mentioned previously in this report, the high cost of elections provides a logic for corruption in the public arena. This affects not only candidates, but parties as well. In an order dated March 27, 2003, the Election Commission of India issued an order, in pursuance of the Supreme Court judgment dated March 13, 2003 in the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties Another Vs. Union of India case, that candidates for electoral office must submit an affidavit disclosing his assets and liabilities. This order, however, does not apply to political parties. Adjudication of Election Disputes Disputes relating to elections of the State Legislature and Union Legislature are adjudicated upon exclusively by the High Court’s before whom election petitions under Section 80 and 80-A of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, are filed. Sections 86(6) and 86(7) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provide that the High Court shall make an Endeavour to dispose of an election petition within six months from its presentation and also as far as practicably possible conduct proceedings of an election petition on a day to day basis. In practice, however, cases involving election petitions are rarely resolved in a timely manner. According to the report â€Å"Ethics in Governance† of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, â€Å"such petitions remain pending for years and in the meanwhile, even the full term of the house expires thus rendering the election petition in fructuous. CONCLUSION I would like to conclude this discussion with a brief mention of the commendable manner in which the Election Commission conducted the Election.. This act of the Election Commission, which conducted the elections of 600 million voters, is unprecedented in history. While considering this we should not forget, that this gigantic exercise was to be conducted among a voting population which is predominantly illiterate, we get the true magnitude of the achievement. The Commission was able to handle it not only efficiently but in record time. The polling was concluded in four days in 1977; in 1980 it was concluded in two days. Most of the results were declared within twenty-four hours after the conclusion of the polling.