Democracy is undoubtedly the best way to go collectively as
a Nation; the devil is in the details.
Politics as a profession is as mercenary, as the one who
kills for a living, as the word is most widely understood, for in both cases
the finer sensibilities and holistic thinking go out of the window of
opportunity.
As in any endeavour, a pre assessment of the strengths and
weaknesses ensure we play up to our strengths avoiding the pitfalls of our
weaknesses. When dealing with the species “Homo Sapiens erectus” the foremost
among them being ego and greed.
“Checks & Balances” ensures the health of any democracy,
the more stringent the better, for integrity is the decisive component in the
elected few, representing the teeming millions.
While we, religiously ensure that we have the first among
equals at the top, we should ensure the foremost amongst us occupy the highest
offices of arbitration in the land, for they will not only set, the benchmarks
but the tone & tenor of the conduct of our lives as individuals and as a
Nation as a whole.
The presumed pre-eminence of the elected few, in all
matters; being the biggest among the follies. The election process is the
culmination of frantic activities fair and foul, where the electorate exercise
their franchise based on their IQ and the limited experience of the aspects of
governance that has touched each ones lives and to the extent their thinking
has been influenced by the recent barrage of information shrewdly (mis)presented
in more ways than one.
Most importantly all their decision making processes are
hugely influenced by prevalent conditions however transient.
This is conspicuous if we care to look at the concept of
adult franchise in itself in the Indian context, where even basic communication
is not seamless pan India, and the status probably unique in the world, and no
serious attempt has been made to integrate them, since Independence and in fact
divided them further to suit narrow political agendas.
In a land where the have-nots far outstrip the haves, both
materially and otherwise, to accord similar space on any platform of larger
import, is grossly absurd and myopic. It’s like holding a referendum on Atomic
armaments, only more absurd.
Without bias or discrimination it is for us to arrive at parameters
that best fulfil the requirements. The Highest Common (accepted) Factor is
education and experience and this needs to be largely factored into the
granting of franchise rights. For the exercise of one’s franchise places,
enormous social responsibilities on both the current and future generations.
Dr.M.S.Swaminathan & Dr.Verghese Kurian are living (just 2 of the very
many) examples of architects who engineered the prosperity of the
underprivileged masses, with their path-breaking efforts in their fields of
agriculture. and Co-Op dairying, via Technology & expertise.Most decisively
disproving the malicious claims of the myopic politicians, and bringing their
ulterior agendas to the fore.
Electoral reforms are normally talked about as “State
funding”, which in itself is a sad reflection of our attitude to democracy
being about the money and not about the people; which is the hidden(no longer)
agenda of professional politics.
A village as a basic unit of human settlement is about day
to day existence with every villager involved, “The Panchayat” has admirably
stood the test of times immemorial and need to be tweaked only to the extent that,
in the current scenario of technology and our low level of literacy in the
broader sense, two of the members will be from the most educated amongst them,
and in the happy event of more than two
2 amongst them voted in (which will also serve to spur education as a
tangible option among the villagers). The villager for this purpose will be
defined as the Indian who lives in the village, so as to not be hijacked by people
who originated from it.
The district council will be composed of the Sarpanchs in the
district.
The BDOs at the village level and DM, DJ & DSP at the
district levels will act in an advisory capacity, at least one of them, attending
all meetings as and when convened. This will ensure formal education
contributes to grass roots level understanding and decision making.( when
matters of special import which will need the DJ / DSP are listed the
appropriate official will attend )
The Panchayats and district councils will be studiously
apolitical, and meet regularly by a time table to be suitably devised.
The Legislative Assemblies of the state will be first base,
as far as political parties are concerned where they will continue as at
present with some tweaks to render them in tune with the times.The parliament the second and final base for politicking!!
Human activity has come a long way, where every niche in
every field has developed into a super-speciality, it is imperative that
GOVERNANCE DOES.
The Legislature will specialize in legislating, and leave
the technicalities to an expert panel of whom the upper house of every legislature
will be composed of (20% of the seats will be nominees of the district
councils), who will debate and whet the legislations made and return it to the
lower house to be passed as law.
Ours is not only a large and diverse country, but an ancient
civilization that has stood the tests of time excelling in all walks of life.
Of all the pillars of democracy the Judiciary is the most
critical, as it is the institution of ultimate arbitration on earth, for the other
pillars. It is therefore paramount that INTEGRITY is not compromised, and
remains a self regulating Institution that in extreme circumstances stands
scrutiny by the upper house.
The upper house at both, the state and the centre will be of
half the strength of the lower house and have the last Chief Justice as the
speaker, for impartial conduct of business. The tenure will last the life of
the elected tenure of the house, and by the same yard-stick the new speaker and
deputy take office. The house will be composed of; chiefs of professional
bodies, retired justices and eminent jurists, and the leaders of the district
council nominees at the Legislative assemblies in the states.
The chiefs of all constitutional bodies will be appointed by
their respective time tested mechanisms, subject to being whetted by the upper
house, at the centre and the states, as the case may be.
The lower house in the rare event of disagreement will need
to show-cause, to the upper house to amend the appointment, who will in their
wisdom act or justify the appointment.
COME NETAS COME; GO INDIA GO WE WILL LEAVE THE STARS BEHIND,
having exorcised the devils in detail.
