Open Forum
New
Delhi, 24 November 2017
Panchayat Elections
POLITICS IN APOLITICAL BODIES
By Dr S Saraswathi
(Former Director, ICSSR, New Delhi)
Panchayat elections have become a hotbed of
politics in all States. November 17, fixed by the Madras High Court to complete
panchayat elections in Tamil Nadu, which were actually due a year ago, has gone
without any progress in the matter. The State is still not ready to conduct
this routine democratic operation because of unsteady State-level party
politics.
West Bengal Government of Trinamool Congress
extends its benevolence to rural folks and starts a scheme of gifting one cow
for each rural family with distribution of 2,000 cows in Birbhum district. This
follows last year’s bounty with chicken and goats. The State conducted election
to urban local bodies recently, and has to face panchayat election shortly.
Hence, freebies for rural population get priority.
Reports from Arunachal Pradesh early this
year inform that 549 panchayat leaders joined the BJP in the presence of the
Chief Minister who is reported to have expressed his view that the process
would continue till all panchayat leaders joined the BJP. “Our grassroot is the
panchayat leaders”, he said.
Truly, Panchayati Raj with its three-tier
popular bodies elected every five years is very important for all political
parties to build their strength. This is also acknowledged by all despite the
fact that panchayats are conceived to be apolitical in organisational set up and
functioning. Arunachal Pradesh government has published a handbook intended for
the use of political parties and candidates contesting panchayat elections in
the State thus acknowledging the role of parties in panchayats.
Laws pertaining to panchayat elections are
made by State Legislatures. Holding election to panchayat bodies is the
responsibility of the State Election Commissions set up under the 73rd
and 74th Amendments of the Constitution creating Panchayati Raj. Over-all
superintendence, direction, and control of panchayat elections vest with the
Commission.
Gram Panchayat elections are held on
non-political basis meaning strictly on non-participation of political parties
under their name and symbol. Still, media reports show that in recent panchayat
elections in Maharashtra, all major parties – the BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, and the
Congress claimed first place in victory rank. Some parties furnish the number
of elected members party-wise. State Election Commissions do not collect data
on the performance of political parties in village panchayat elections.
Indeed, politics has entrenched panchayat
elections. Politicians also have no hesitation to engage their party workers in
electioneering and have no inhibition to lobby with elected candidates to bring
them to their side in order to wield power over the local bodies. Verily, panchayat election is no small matter
for parties in power, out of power, and newcomers.
In Karnataka, for instance, where panchayat
elections were held in 2016, all parties were fielding candidates and
canvassing for votes vigorously to strengthen their base at grassroots. They
avoided using party name and symbol as the panchayat law strictly prohibits
elections on party lines.
In reality, Gram Panchayats constitute the
lowest rung in the political network and elected members play an important role
in the election to Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads. They will naturally have
influence in mobilizing votes in Assembly elections also. They can manipulate
BPL list, and exert influence in choosing beneficiaries of various social
welfare schemes. This way, panchayats constitute vote banks and parties vie
with one another to capture block votes. In small villages, local panchayat leaders
do carry much influence in deciding vote pattern at various levels from the wards.
Participation of parties in panchayat elections
is so open and acknowledged that the Madras High Court has asked the State
Election Commission to write to political parties to desist from fielding
candidates with criminal background. Pervasive link between crime and politics
seems to have penetrated down to the panchayat level.
Political parties have their respective
organisations/branches at the State, district, block, and village levels long
before Panchayati Raj bodies under Constitutional Amendment were set up. These organisations have gained status and popularity
that cannot be overlooked, and are keen on strengthening their hold over
panchayat members so as to tighten the bond between political party and local
administration.
Party politics in local bodies has been a
controversial issue even in the pre-independence panchayat system. Active party
politics have led to abolition of taluk boards and district boards in Madras
Presidency when the interests of the party holding power in the provincial
government were affected. At the same time, local boards provided political
training and education for many leaders who became successful politicians at
the provincial level thus acting as constructive political stepping stones.
Today, the case is different, the common
pattern being State level politicians filling up places at local levels with
their aides and loyal subordinates. Power flows from the top to bottom in many
parties and not built from the base.
All political parties except the Communists have
supported non-party election to panchayat bodies. The Left Front in Bengal
alone built its edifice on the foundations of Panchayati Raj of 1970s. For the
first time in the country, in 1978, in West Bengal, political parties
officially contested panchayat elections with their party symbols. There was
considerable opposition to this from all parties except the communists who said
that direct involvement of parties would make panchayat leadership more
disciplined and responsible in managing these grassroots democratic bodies. It
was believed that it would also put an end to narrow caste and sectarian
interests that governed local politics.
Tripura and Kerala subscribed to this
viewpoint and conducted panchayat elections on party symbols. In Andhra
Pradesh, when Telugu Desam Party came to power, Mandal Praja Parishad, and
Zilla Praja Parishad under Panchayat Act of 1986 were conducted on party lines
in 1987. It evoked great excitement and was welcomed as “mini General
election”.
The TMC Government wanted to take direct
politics out of panchayat election in 2011 evidently as a blow to the Communist
Party. The Chief Minister is of the view that the step would crush petty
politics that often halts development projects in rural areas. Gujarat
panchayat elections have long been a political battle-field between the
Congress and the BJP. Wherever party participation is no secret, so are
alliances and consequent unions and splits. In Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad,
depending on its strong grassroots support, parted company with the State-level
ally, the BJP, and contested panchayat elections alone.
The significance of panchayat elections to
all parties has grown so much that the BJP unleashed vigorous campaigning
before Odisha panchayat election in February 2017 and established its growing
popularity.
Party involvement in local board elections is
common in almost all countries. In UK and USA, several interest groups are also
in the fray. In South Africa, there is also the system of proportional
representation to provide seats in proportion to the vote share of parties. Canada
is an exception to the normal pattern in that most of the municipal councils
are non-partisan and elect independents.
With politics pervading every institution, political
parties, even if barred from contesting panchayat election, will find entry. People
have to function as watchdogs and prevent partisan functioning of panchayats
particularly in implementing social welfare schemes. Gram Sabhas must be
convened and they should wield the power entrusted with them. ---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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