Political finance as a source of corruption in South East Asia

Abstract

The paper analyses the various sources and methods of raising political finance in selected South Asian countries viz India. Nepal. Bangladesh. Sri Lanka and Pakistan and would show how these practices lead to political corruption. In recent times, political parties and candidates in South Asian countries have embarked upon a number of underhand and covert means to raise funds for election purposes apart from legitimate sources discerning a specific c trend in this direction. They have spent lavishly on election campaigns and consequently have not eve n eschewed from using muscle power and force to win elections leading to criminalization of politics in some countries. The paper makes a detailed analysis of the various methods of political finance used by political parties and individual candidate s to win elections and tries show how some of the dubious sources of party and political funding have led to political corruption in these countries. In the final analysis an attempt would be made t suggest some remedial measures and strategies for minimising the impact of such practices in the South Asian region as a whole.