Election process needs restructuring

The Election Commission has suggested that the entire poll expenses of candidates be born by the Government and political parties and candidates be disallowed to spend an extra rupee. The proposal is likely to get the approval of all political parties as they already have an enviable record of joining hands on matters of mutual interest and issues of national importance. The expenditure on this account will be colossal and the Government will have to either find additional sources or curtail the development expenditure. However this would not be in the larger interest of the nation. Moreover state funding of elections is not the panacea for curbing money-power in elections. Here are a few suggestions for consideration. Poll expenses should be realistically fixed and vigorously monitored and the amount should be periodically revised taking into account inflation. Posters should be completely banned, this would help prevent disfiguring of walls and buildings, both private and public. The number of meetings should be fixed and if possible all candidates should be allowed to share their views on a common platform. The annual accounts of all political parties should be compulsorily audited by Chartered Accountant s or Government Auditors, appointed by the Election commission. If any political party fails to produce audited accounts for two consecutive years its right to contest elections should be forfeited.Internal democracy should be maintained in all political parties. Elections should be held in the presence of an observer nominated by the Election Commission. Various posts in the party should be held by election and not by nomination. Parties should furnish the criminal antecedents of the candidates contesting elections. The assets and liabilities of candidates should be filed at the time of filing nominations.Political parties should file a report indicating promises vs. performance of the last election explaining the reasons for non performance or shortfall.Political parties or candidates should indicate the source of funds to meet the promises given in the manifesto. Deposits for contesting election should be suitably raised to prevent non serious candidates from contesting elections. Candidates who get less than a prescribed minimum votes should be debarred from contesting election for some years. Those who lose the Assembly or Lok Sabha elections should be debarred from contesting for Rajya Sabha seats for say the next 3 years. Moreover all the documents filed with the Election Commission should be accessible to the electorate through the payment of a nominal fee.It is suggested that there should be radical reforms in the election process to make it more transparent, corruption free and free from money and muscle power. The largest democracy of the world should also become the greatest democracy of the world.

Eagle's Eye: All Party Government

It will be worthwhile to consider the formation of all party Government. Under this System, the elected members of Parliament can elect the PM and other Ministers based on proportional representation -EM AdithyanThe forthcoming Lok Sabha election is going to create a situation where no single political party or coalition is able to get an absolute majority. Coalition and alignment have become a farce as political parties are switching alliance like a chameleon changing colour. In most of the cases coalitions are not based on ideologies or principles but based on personal prejudices. Parties are forging alliances with the singular objective of grabbing power and marriage of convenience has become the order of the day. In the event of a hung parliament there will be an open horse trading (The day is not far of when horses will file a defamation suit for the insult heaped on them by human beings) and money power and muscle power will play a predominant role signaling the murder of democracy. Under such circumstances, coalition set up has no stability as many coalition partners are having divergent views and they are at loggerheads. Even after forming the Government, parties may pull the carpet under the feet for ulterior motives.Under the circumstances, it will be worthwhile to consider the formation of all party Government. Under this System, the elected members of Parliament can elect the Prime Minister and other Ministers based on proportional representation. This will facilitate the formation of a team of talented ministers. Since the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Prime Minister and other Ministers are clearly defined, there should not be any reason for any confrontation or confusion. All the major decisions are to be taken in the cabinet or a majority decision in the parliament. Since the ministers are public servants drawing pay and perks from the Government, they should not hold any party position and should not involve in political activities. Politicians will be left with an option either to serve the party or the nation. A minister can be removed/recalled only through majority vote in the parliament and not at the whims and fancies of his/her erstwhile political bosses. In order to maintain the continuity of the Ministry, no-confidence motion may be restricted against a Minister, Ministers or even the Prime Minister. In other words, if a no-confidence motion is passed against the Prime Minister, the Ministry will continue but the Prime Minister will have to be changed. Moreover, every electorate will have a feeling that it is their own Government and consequently percentage of voting will gradually improve making democracy more meaningful.Notwithstanding the fact that the system under reference is prevalent in several organisations where also various groups and sub groups exist, the suggestion to adopt this system in the formation of Government deserves serious consideration. All the political parties may ponder over the issue and arrive at a consensus in the larger national interest. Every right thinking and patriotic citizen of the country should do their bit to prevent the country from engulfing in catastrophe and turmoil. Otherwise the country will become a stage for enacting petty political dramas and the largest democracy of the world will become a mockery in the eyes of the world. A situation of chaos, confusion and anarchy, which will have far reaching ramifications jeopardizing the unity and integrity of the nation, cannot also be ruled out. Let there be a national debate on this issue and let us show to the whole world that Indian democracy is vibrant, the legacy of the great Indian civilization is still in our veins and Indian electorate and politicians are matured enough to prove that the largest democracy of the world is also the greatest democracy of the world.