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.