Part I – Political reforms.
For the last couple of weeks we are all treated to a great TV show with many popular features of Gandhian Ideal, Communist and Gora funded NGO nautaki, and endless politician bashing. Since IPL started the entire show got shifted non prime time slot.
There is no doubt Corruption is a very serious issue and needed to be immediately otherwise we will be jumping from License permit kota Raj to Crony Capitalism. ( I think we are already there and soon it will be too late to reverse the condition.) We need to looking to the reasons for the present state of affairs.
Many will agree that the manner in which the elections in India conducted is the root of the corruption. There are many structural changes which are needed to be implemented. First we need to ensure or even enforce wider participation in the electoral process. Voting shall me made compulsory.
Restrictions against the public servants at least people working in PSU’s and certain sections of the government servants like teachers, doctors etc shall be removed. Most of the educated class which is presently forced to keep out of politics will then have an opportunity to participate in the elections.
All public servants (may be except Army, police, Judges Etc) should be allowed to be political party members. We are no longer having colonial rule and there is no reason why merely because a person is a public servant he/she should not participate in political activity.
Internal party democracy shall be enforced by law. All party positions from village level to national level shall be elected by common party members in yearly direct elections. Election commission shall supervise and conduct and these elections. Candidates for MLA and MP seats shall be elected by the local party members and not nominated as now.
There shall be open election of the legislature party leaders and CM/PM once elected shall be only be removed by constructive majority. Sitting MLA’s MP’s shall be given automatic right to contest elections on their party tickets so that they are free from party bosses.
Time also has come to think if we can elect CM/PM directly so that they can have affixed tenure and will not be exposed to blackmailing as now. Local body elections and their powers are now left to state governments which are not at all allowing their functioning. There shall not be any indirect elections or nominated posts like Governors, Rajya Sabha Members and even these people shall be elected directly by people.
Entire constitutional scheme relating to the local body elections, administration, and powers is to be revisited. All the local governments shall have proper periodical elections under the central election commission. Powers of the local governments shall be fixed and shall not be interfered with.
Restrictions on family members participating in elections, limited terms, age restrictions etc are also some of the methods which will naturally allow vide participation in the political process.
Many of the above like internal party democracy, local governance etc are there in all most all the democracies of the world today. There is no reason why we can not adopt the same here.
Public financing of the elections, paying salaries to the elected political party workers at certain from public funds are some of the steps that will also help reduce corruption. Once the political parties are made more structured as above this should not be a problem to put in place.
– More to come.
For the last couple of weeks we are all treated to a great TV show with many popular features of Gandhian Ideal, Communist and Gora funded NGO nautaki, and endless politician bashing. Since IPL started the entire show got shifted non prime time slot.
There is no doubt Corruption is a very serious issue and needed to be immediately otherwise we will be jumping from License permit kota Raj to Crony Capitalism. ( I think we are already there and soon it will be too late to reverse the condition.) We need to looking to the reasons for the present state of affairs.
Many will agree that the manner in which the elections in India conducted is the root of the corruption. There are many structural changes which are needed to be implemented. First we need to ensure or even enforce wider participation in the electoral process. Voting shall me made compulsory.
Restrictions against the public servants at least people working in PSU’s and certain sections of the government servants like teachers, doctors etc shall be removed. Most of the educated class which is presently forced to keep out of politics will then have an opportunity to participate in the elections.
All public servants (may be except Army, police, Judges Etc) should be allowed to be political party members. We are no longer having colonial rule and there is no reason why merely because a person is a public servant he/she should not participate in political activity.
Internal party democracy shall be enforced by law. All party positions from village level to national level shall be elected by common party members in yearly direct elections. Election commission shall supervise and conduct and these elections. Candidates for MLA and MP seats shall be elected by the local party members and not nominated as now.
There shall be open election of the legislature party leaders and CM/PM once elected shall be only be removed by constructive majority. Sitting MLA’s MP’s shall be given automatic right to contest elections on their party tickets so that they are free from party bosses.
Time also has come to think if we can elect CM/PM directly so that they can have affixed tenure and will not be exposed to blackmailing as now. Local body elections and their powers are now left to state governments which are not at all allowing their functioning. There shall not be any indirect elections or nominated posts like Governors, Rajya Sabha Members and even these people shall be elected directly by people.
Entire constitutional scheme relating to the local body elections, administration, and powers is to be revisited. All the local governments shall have proper periodical elections under the central election commission. Powers of the local governments shall be fixed and shall not be interfered with.
Restrictions on family members participating in elections, limited terms, age restrictions etc are also some of the methods which will naturally allow vide participation in the political process.
Many of the above like internal party democracy, local governance etc are there in all most all the democracies of the world today. There is no reason why we can not adopt the same here.
Public financing of the elections, paying salaries to the elected political party workers at certain from public funds are some of the steps that will also help reduce corruption. Once the political parties are made more structured as above this should not be a problem to put in place.
– More to come.
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