Political Diary
New
Delhi, 10 October 2017
One India, One Poll
HALT PERPETUAL
ELECTION CIRCUS
By Poonam I Kaushish
Winds
of change are in the air. Is India readying for a reform in our election cycle?
Dumping its Perpetual Election Syndrome which is wreaking havoc on our body
politic as it meanders in an all-year merry-go-round. Instead, hooting for
holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Seems so,
with the Election Commission shoring up Modispeak by stating it could do so after
September next, though Parliament’s poll is due in 2019. A prime case of, ‘Your
wish is my command.’
On
the plea that it would not only save time and money spent in electioneering but
enable the Central and State Governments in taking hard decisions in public
interest without having to worry about its impact on its vote banks and concentrate
on delivering good governance. Due to electoral considerations several good
initiatives and schemes are forsaken lest it upset a caste, community, religion
or region. All becoming victims of policy paralysis, poor implementation and
management
Worse,
political energy is diverted in injecting a heavy dose of vote-bank politics
and power replete with the I-me-myself syndrome. Politicians of every colour,
caste and creed have progressively allowed the malady to become chronic thereby
gravely undermining governance. Even the semblance of administration is dispensed
with. All in the vicious grip of PES with the devil taking the hindmost!
Questionably,
is it an idea whose time has come? Can one hold simultaneous polls for
Parliament and the State Legislatures? If so, would it be advisable in the best
national interest?
Undoubtedly,
it is one way to get rid of incompetence, malfeasance and casual governance.
But it is an idea that needs to be debated extensively at all levels. Its pros
and cons must be weighted before arriving at a final solution. Remember, the
change advocated would entail changing the basic structure of the Constitution.
Not
so, said ex Lok Sabha Secretary General Subash Kashyap, “No change in law or
any Constitution amendment is required for simultaneous elections as Article
172 makes clear provisions for a fixed term of an Assembly.”
In
fact, a Law Commission report in 1999 had said, “This cycle of elections every
year, and in the out of season, should be put an end to and recommended a
gradual move towards simultaneous elections once in five years.” Adding, when a no-confidence motion is moved
against a Government, a confidence motion should also be moved for an
alternative Government in the Assembly or the Lok Sabha as the case may be to
ensure a five-year term for a majority or minority Government.
This
was dittoed by a Parliamentary committee in December 2015. It held this would
result in better deliverables of essential services and superior policies which
come to a halt due to imposition of the Model Code of Conduct during election
time along-with lessen the burden on crucial manpower deployed during election
time.
Recall,
the first four elections in 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967 were a joint affair whereby
simultaneous elections were held for the Centre and State legislatures. It was
only in 1971 when Indira Gandhi dissolved the Lok Sabha and advanced elections
by a year that the synchronization fell apart. This saw the onset of many
unstable Governments at the Centre and States resulting in early dissolution of
the Lok Sabha or Assemblies.
However,
Constitutional experts believe it is not advisable to mix them. The proposal
could be motivated by political considerations, as when simultaneous elections
are held voters tend to vote for the same Party. Also, poll issues at the
Centre and States are quite different and it would, therefore be better to hold
separate polls.
Two, holding
simultaneous elections could create confusion for the voters. A Party could be
deserving of support at the Centre for its policies and performance at the
national level. Yet, the same Party could be deserving of popular punishment
and defeat for its policies and performance at the State level.
Though
simultaneous elections could be held for State Assemblies and they be given a
fixed term. If an elected State Government was to fall, the Centre could impose
President’s rule till the time for a fresh poll. But the Lok Sabha cannot have
a fixed term as there is no provision for President’s rule at the Centre. This
could create more problems than solving them.
Further,
a fixed term for the Lok Sabha and State Legislatures goes against the basic
tenets of Parliamentary democracy. Yet the remedy is worse than the disease. A
fixed term entails that if a Government enjoying the people’s mandate is voted
out, it shall continue to hold office or be replaced by another Government,
which may not necessarily enjoy the popular mandate.
Plainly,
a Government which lacks the confidence of the House would be foisted on the
people, with no say in the matter. Smacking of de facto dictatorship or monarchical anarchy, an idea which
translates into unrepresentative
governance.
Importantly,
a major benefit of holding simultaneous polls is it would result in huge
financial saving. Statistics say it all: In 1952, when the first national
election for the Lok Sabha and Assemblies were held just over Rs 10 crores were
spent. In the subsequent two elections 1957 and 1962 the expenditure came down
to almost Rs 6 and Rs 7.5 crores respectively.
Since
1977, the expenditure saw an upward spiral. It doubled to over Rs 23 crores, in
1980, it further doubled to Rs 54 crores and 1989 to Rs 154 crores. Just two
years later, the expenses shot up to Rs 359 crore and by 1999 it was Rs 880
crores. By 2004, it had shot up to Rs 1300 crores and 2014 Lok Sabha elections
entailed an expenditure of Rs 4500 crores.
Today,
confusion has got more confounded with various States completing their
five-year terms at different times. The result? Elections costs have sky
rocketed. The Bihar Government spent over Rs 400 crores for Assembly polls and
UP more than double, the less said the better about expenses incurred by the
Election Commission and Central Government. Just see the amount of the
taxpayer’s hard money being spent over and over again mindlessly.
Think.
In 2011 Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry and Bengal, 2012 UP, Goa, Punjab,
Manipur and Uttarakhand, the following year Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram followed
by the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and four States Maharashtra, Haryana, Telengana
and Andhra, in 2015 Delhi, Bihar,
Jharkhand, J&K and last year Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Bengal and Assam.
Where
do we go from here? The US model should be considered. The President and State
Governors are elected directly for a fixed four-year term and they choose their
own teams. Certainly, the President is answerable to the House of
Representatives and Senate but he is not required to seek their confidence
vote. This ensures good governance, stability and continuity enabling him to
take hard decisions without fear of losing power.
In
sum, elections are the bedrock of our democracy but we should avoid duplication
of polls. With States going for elections every year, running the Government is
challenging as the country is in perpetual election mode. India’s democracy
should not be reduced to a Great Indian Political Circus tu-tu mein-mein between Parties all the time. Enough of the
destructive PES! ---- INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
|