Jagdeep S Chhokar, co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and a strong voice for clean and fair elections, passed away in Delhi on Friday due to a heart attack, PTI reported citing ADR sources. He was 80 years old. A former professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Chhokar helped establish ADR in 1999 along with his colleagues.
Early life, education and career
Born on November 25, 1944, Chhokar started his career working with the Indian Railways before transitioning to academia. He completed his MBA at the Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, and later earned a PhD from Louisiana State University in the United States.
In 1985, he joined IIM Ahmedabad, where he taught organisational behavior until retiring in 2006. During his time at IIM Ahmedabad, Chhokar also held important roles such as dean and director-in-charge.
What is the Association for Democratic Reforms?
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is a prominent non-partisan, non-governmental organisation in India. It was established by a group of professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, including Trilochan Sastry, Jagdeep Chhokar, and Ajit Ranade.
ADR's primary mission is to promote electoral and political reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and the overall health of Indian democracy.
Key Functions and Initiatives
Election watch: ADR's flagship program involves analysing the affidavits of candidates contesting elections to provide voters with information about their criminal, financial and educational backgrounds. This initiative aims to empower citizens to make informed choices during elections.
Election expenses analysis: The organisation scrutinises and publishes data on the election expenses of MPs and MLAs, shedding light on the financial aspects of electoral campaigns.
Advocacy for political transparency: ADR has been instrumental in advocating for greater transparency in political processes. Notably, it played a significant role in making it mandatory for candidates to disclose their criminal, financial and educational backgrounds by filing affidavits with the Election Commission of India.
Legal interventions: The organisation has actively engaged in legal battles to challenge practices that undermine democratic integrity. For instance, ADR successfully challenged the constitutionality of the Electoral Bonds Scheme, leading to a Supreme Court ruling that declared anonymous and unregulated political donations unconstitutional.
