Lalit Anjum
“Elections determine who is in power, but they do not determine how power is used” – Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, Oxford University.
This quote aptly signifies the prevailing situation in Indian Politics. Politics and election in India always remain in the limelight. The election season has its own fascination and takes a grand shape particularly in Indian context. Electorate votes for their choice of candidate who in turn will represent them in the Legislature. Post-election observation shows that there is a considerable decline in fulfilling the election campaign promises by an elected representative. The politicians are not to be blamed for this mess but it is in the inherent nature of our diverse and hierarchical society which causes this gradual shift in focus from public oriented election manifestoes. Robert Michel in book Political Parties, 1911 asserts that representative systems oft-times degrade towards an oligarchy or particracy. Channelling of energy towards party interests or to suit personal idiosyncrasies becomes commonplace. An oath taken by an elected representative while taking public office is to bring uniform development with progress of each and every section of society. To suit ones political interests this noble talisman is overlooked and kept on a back burner. Unequal development and disparity in progress is witnessed everywhere in our country. Present day election process and circumstances favors a candidate and their parties more often than a common voter. There is a growing demand for revamping the election system so as to safeguard the interests of the biggest stakeholder in this whole process i.e. Electorate and its Adult Franchise.
Representative (Indirect) Democracy
Our experimentation with representative democracy traces its genesis to Government of India Act, 1935 which introduced direct elections for public representation in the Legislatures. For the first time voting rights were extended to the large number of people. For very first time it paved the way forpublic participation in the government. Gradually it evolved into a powerful means of empowering the common citizenry of our country. It took the form of an indirect democratic system. In order to serve the large demographic base like in India, Direct form of democracy could had posed a formidable challenge in implementation and could have proved to be inadequate in long term. Therefore acceptance of representative democracy gave common masses a must needed say in public governance through their elected representatives. It made accountability in government an established norm. It encouraged people to be more aware of the political changes and sanitised them about current affairs.
With the passage of time some flaws crept into the mechanism of governance. Accountability happened to be its first victim. Unknown and unfamiliar leaders oftentimes emerge as pseudorepresentatives grinding their own axe while in power and ignore the minority factions altogether. Thus majority’s rule prevails upon the system. Usually trust deficit widens with each passing day and incumbency factor sets in. Till next election the elected politician rules the roost whether people like it or not.
NOTA button
In one of the pioneering initiatives taken by Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2009, was its wish to offer “none of the above (NOTA)” option on ballots. To increase people participation in general elections ECI proposed to introduce NOTA button in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Supreme Court of India (SCI) hailed this vision of ECI positively and in its landmark judgment on 27th September 2013 ruled in favor of ECI to provide such button in EVMs. It has been a right step in right direction and has empowered the voters, besides broadening the choice of Indian electorate. Over six million voters selected NOTA in 2014 general elections accounting for 1.1 percent of total votes polled. It provided a channel and much needed option for significant number of aggrieved voters to select NOTA among equally bad and skewed choices of candidates in election fray. It has turned the tide in favor of actual stakeholders of this election process i.e. the people of India. But necessary amendments are awaited for giving power of rejection in the hands of common voter. Presently ECI doesn’t take into account the NOTA votes for declaration of result and it has lingered as a work in progress without any impact on election results.
Right to Recall
“Without recall over legislators, elections will be useless”, said M.N. Roy, first writer of `Draft Constitution of India` in 1946. Right to recalling (RTR) and relieving any underperforming public servant from holding the public office was deemed to be an essential feature of Indian Constitution during its making. But it never found its rightful place in this so called Democratic setup. All current political maladies would have been the things of the past if RTR was included as fundamental right.
Time has come to implement RTR in its full form. It will augment in revamping the overall Governance System. This proposed law by a Right to Recall Group will definitely check the corruption and misadventure by any public authority or by any elected representative. Instead of waiting for completion of full term (usually 5-years) RTR will enable people to remove the dishonest public servant with an immediate effect. As majority of people will be exercising the RTR for removing a particular official, others will become aware of the impending change and will follow the suit. RTR will empower the common masses as it will not allow media houses or lobbyists to sway the opinion in anybody’s favor. RTR has a power to check extravagant expenditure by candidates during election campaign too. Fear of being recalled by electorate will insist the candidate to remain committed to his election promises. Thus RTR law is need of an hour.
Bottom to Top approach
Present top down approach of government to check the maladministration and plug the loop holes in the system doesn’t always work. Bottom to top approach can be a guiding tool to build tolerant, just and inclusive society. Moral and ethical values must be at the core on which an accommodative society can be raised. Further institutionalizing this approach will definitely help our nation develop a clear conscious in eradicating the unwanted weeds out of the system. Democratization of public institutions is needed and holding the accountability of public servant is necessary. It is required to reduce the discretionary powers of the public officials and prevent the concentration of power under one command. Bottom to top approach can pave a way to formalize an ideal society and evolve it into an enlightened nation. Discouraging Babudom in bureaucracy and curbing a bent of elitism among our elected representatives can bring lost faith back in the Indian democracy.
Putting faith on public conscience
Loss of faith and trust-deficit among government functionaries including on our own elected representatives, had an adverse impact on our collective psyche. There is a need to safeguard this faith of people on the ideals of democracy and justice, for which our freedom fighters toiled hard and even sacrificed their lives. In their sacrifices they guaranteed our next generations, the fruits of freedom and democracy in the real sense and in honest perspective. Our small steps and steady strides can bring public trust back in the system. Putting faith back on our own people just like our Beloved Father of the Nation “Mahatma Gandhi” had put during Indian national freedom struggle, will surely separate chaff from the wheat and can bring transparency and justice in the system. Recent drive by Union Government in favor of self-attestation of documents was a welcome step in this direction. ECI’s NOTA initiative with proposed RTR law has power to turn the tide in public favor. All these inevitable changes hold the key to reform the election process and to revolutionize the governance mechanism in India.
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel