Professor Jagdeep Chhokar, one of India’s most steadfast advocates for accountability and transparency in politics, died in New Delhi today after suffering a heart attack, months ahead of his 81st birthday. Professor Chhokar, leaves behind a legacy of landmark Supreme Court victories, including the scrapping of electoral bonds.

Professor Jagdeep Chhokar, co-founder of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and one of India’s strongest voices for electoral transparency, leaves behind a legacy that continues to shape Indian democracy. His death marks the loss of a fearless reformer, but his work remains deeply embedded in the country’s democratic journey.

Maj Gen (Retd) Anil Verma, Head of ADR, remembered him as “the face of ADR, a relentless crusader for electoral reforms and transparency in the political system.”

Chhokar’s life was as diverse as it was impactful—he began his career in the Indian Railways, pursued higher studies in management and law, and went on to teach at IIM Ahmedabad, where ADR was born out of concerns about criminality and money power in politics.

Over the last 25 years, ADR under Chhokar’s leadership was instrumental in several landmark Supreme Court rulings. These included mandatory disclosure of candidates’ criminal, financial, and educational records, and more recently, the 2024 verdict that scrapped the controversial electoral bonds scheme. Verma described it as a defining victory, though he lamented that thousands of crores already received by political parties were never recovered.

Former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy highlighted ADR’s partnership with the Election Commission as crucial to reforms. “Most of the electoral reforms that came into existence since 2000 had his involvement. ADR and the Election Commission supported each other in bringing about necessary changes,” he said.

Both Verma and Krishnamurthy agreed that India’s political system still faces the dominance of money and muscle power. They emphasised that Chhokar’s work is far from complete and that ADR must carry forward his mission.

Beyond court battles and policy advocacy, Chhokar was also a teacher, researcher, and conservationist. His association with institutions such as the Aajeevika Bureau reflected his concern for broader social justice issues, including migrant labour.

His passing, said Verma, is “a major loss for civil society as well as for the nation.” Yet his legacy endures—in ADR’s continuing fight for electoral accountability and in every citizen’s right to demand a cleaner, more transparent democracy.