Blueprint Blueprint of of

Political ReformsPolitical Reforms

PresentationPresentation

byby

Dr. Subhash C. KashyapDr. Subhash C. Kashyap

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State of The NationState of The Nation

• Nation Passing through most critical times Nation Passing through most critical times

• Need for citizens not to remain silent spectators of Need for citizens not to remain silent spectators of the ruin but to be vigilant and become active the ruin but to be vigilant and become active participants in the democratic processparticipants in the democratic process

• Ensuring security, equality, human dignity and Ensuring security, equality, human dignity and freedom from exploitation to allfreedom from exploitation to all

• Problems of all pervasive corruption, Problems of all pervasive corruption, criminalisation, poverty, illiteracy, rising criminalisation, poverty, illiteracy, rising population, skyrocketing prices and utter population, skyrocketing prices and utter callousness of the rulerscallousness of the rulers

• Tackling governance deficit, making administration Tackling governance deficit, making administration and justice delivery system citizen-centricand justice delivery system citizen-centric

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Areas Needing ReformsAreas Needing Reforms• Electoral & Party ReformsElectoral & Party Reforms

• Assuring stability, good clean corruption free, Assuring stability, good clean corruption free, governance with accountability to the peoplegovernance with accountability to the people

• Union-State Relations Union-State Relations – Misuse of article 356Misuse of article 356– 3 or 4 tier governance with maximum powers at the 3 or 4 tier governance with maximum powers at the

grassroots grassroots – Bottom-up instead of top-down modelBottom-up instead of top-down model

• Executive and judiciaryExecutive and judiciary– Reduction of delays Reduction of delays – Elimination of Corruption Elimination of Corruption

• Making public administration Making public administration – Transparent Transparent – Citizen-centric & People Friendly Citizen-centric & People Friendly

• Parliamentary ReformsParliamentary Reforms 33

Electoral ReformsElectoral Reforms

• Elections as the foundation of Elections as the foundation of representative democracy representative democracy

• Electoral System – The mother of many of Electoral System – The mother of many of our problems of corruption, our problems of corruption, criminalisation, black money, governance criminalisation, black money, governance deficitdeficit

• Systemic & procedural Problems Systemic & procedural Problems

• Electoral Reforms Agenda Electoral Reforms Agenda

• Political Party Reforms Political Party Reforms

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ProblemsProblems• Motivation for entry – not sacrifice and Motivation for entry – not sacrifice and

service but getting rich quickservice but getting rich quick

• Electoral system divisive Electoral system divisive – Casteism, communalism and vote bank politicsCasteism, communalism and vote bank politics

• Lack of any role for the People in selection Lack of any role for the People in selection of candidates of candidates

• Erosion of Representational Legitimacy Erosion of Representational Legitimacy

• Cost of ElectionsCost of ElectionsContd.Contd.

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Contd.Contd.

•Electoral Rolls

•Influencing Voters – Money, Muscle and Mafia Power– Criminalisation

•Independent Candidates – not serious, for illegitimate gains, dummies

•Judicial Delays in Election Cases

•Common Constituents– Panchayat to Parliament Members

•Appointment of CEC & ECS

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Reforms Agenda Reforms Agenda (1) Systemic (1) Systemic

• Selection of Candidates – public role through meetings or primaries

• Simultaneous Elections – Panchayats to Parliament

• Making voting Fundamental Duty

• Recall and Negative Vote - impractical

• Reforming FPTP System by adding run-off.

• Making Membership less lucrative

• Speedy justice in Election case – spl. Courts Contd.

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(2) Process Related Reforms(2) Process Related Reforms

• Reduction of Election Costs – State funding in Reduction of Election Costs – State funding in kindkind

• Foolproof Electoral Rolls – PRI to ParliamentFoolproof Electoral Rolls – PRI to Parliament

• Video & other Surveillance Devices at BoothsVideo & other Surveillance Devices at Booths

• Disqualification of those with Criminal Disqualification of those with Criminal ChargesCharges

• Preventing Misuse of Official Machinery Preventing Misuse of Official Machinery

• Movement for Citizenship Development & Movement for Citizenship Development & Voter Education Voter Education

• Annual Declaration of Assets & Income by Annual Declaration of Assets & Income by MembersMembers

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• Bottom-up approachBottom-up approach

• Village-centric power at grassroots Village-centric power at grassroots

• Direct election to local bodies only Direct election to local bodies only

• Indirect Elections to State Assemblies and Indirect Elections to State Assemblies and Parliament Parliament

• Limits on Salaries and Perks of Members.Limits on Salaries and Perks of Members.

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Gandhian ModelGandhian Model

• Law for Political Parties Law for Political Parties

• Regulation of no., registration and Regulation of no., registration and recognition of parties recognition of parties

• Participation by Women and YouthParticipation by Women and Youth

• Internal Party Democracy, Accountability Internal Party Democracy, Accountability and transparency and transparency

• Audited Accounts to be put in public Audited Accounts to be put in public domain domain

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Political Party ReformsPolitical Party Reforms

ConclusionConclusion

• Necessary to restore to the institutions of Necessary to restore to the institutions of democracy credibility, legitimacy and democracy credibility, legitimacy and respect of the people.respect of the people.

• One word cause for the fall of Rome was One word cause for the fall of Rome was “Corruption”. Public life is “to give” not |“Corruption”. Public life is “to give” not |to take”to take”

• Democracy and Freedom are tender Democracy and Freedom are tender plants, unless nursed with care they can plants, unless nursed with care they can wither away fast.wither away fast.

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THANK THANK YOUYOU