New Delhi: Jagdeep S Chhokar, co-founder of poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms and a long-standing advocate for clean elections, passed away in Delhi on Friday after suffering a heart attack, ADR sources said. He was 80.

A retired professor at the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad, Chhokar, along with his colleagues, founded the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) in 1999.

Over the past two decades, the organisation spearheaded several landmark judicial interventions that brought greater transparency and accountability in Indian politics. These included the 2002 Supreme Court judgment making it mandatory for candidates to disclose their criminal cases, assets, and educational qualifications, as well as the 2024 verdict striking down the Electoral Bonds scheme.

Born on November 25, 1944, Chhokar began his career in the Indian Railways before moving to academia. He pursued an MBA from Delhi University's faculty of management studies and later earned a PhD from the Louisiana State University in the US.

He joined IIM-Ahmedabad in 1985, teaching in the field of organisational behaviour until his retirement in 2006. Chhokar also served as the dean and director-in-charge during his tenure at IIM-Ahmedabad.

Tributes poured in from across the political and public spectrum following his passing.

Former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa wrote on X: "The loss of Prof Jagdeep Chhokar is tragic. He spearheaded the Association of Democratic Reforms, which has rendered yeoman service in maintaining high standards of electoral democracy. People like him and ADR are vital for questioning authorities, a healthy sign for any democracy.”