What kind of elections are these?

The layered question describes the farcical manner in which Munugode byelection was held and lays bare the lack of a powerful-autonomous electoral system in the country. This Eenadu Editorial delves into the issues plaguing the electoral process and need of the hour reforms.

The Munugode by-election which attracted much attention across the Telugu land has finally come to an end. The farce perpetrated during the elections was quite evident. The election has reminded us yet again that the electoral process has turned into a game of money and muscle power.

From the days when Re. 1 used to be offered for a vote, to the present situation where Rs 5000 are being paid per vote, political leaders have perpetrated every sin to worsen the situation. The Election Commission remains a mute spectator to the violations of electoral law committed by political leaders.

Money—changing hands, colour

A parliamentarian once said the maximum election expenditure limit prescribed by the Election Commission is not even sufficient to meet a day’s expenditure. According to studies, the political parties which had spent Rs 35,000 crore in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections across the country, spent around Rs 60,000 crore in the 2019 general elections. The unhindered flow of black money has become a norm during the Assembly Elections as well.

Long ago, Justice Chagla had stated that as India has the system of Universal Adult Franchise, the integrity of not only the elected representatives but also the voters should be protected. But what have the political parties been doing all these years? They have so submerged voters so deep in the intoxications of allurements that the voters are openly demanding money for vote. Political parties are entangled in a vicious circle under which they pump crores and crores of rupees in elections and then resort to uncontrolled corruption to recover the money so spent.

Integrity of Election Commission

Money power and criminal track record have become the criteria for the political parties to choose their candidates to contest elections. Apart from resorting to divisive politics on the lines of caste and religion, political parties have also been resorting to distribution of inducements for votes. The fundamental Constitutional tenet of free and fair elections has been reduced to a laughing stock by the political parties which resort to stark misuse of power.

If the reputation of the Election Commission is to be upheld, the selection of the Election Commissioners should be done by a panel comprising of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India, as suggested by the Law Commission in the past. A powerful and autonomous electoral system which would be accountable only to the law will have to be nurtured.

Proportional representation, punishing turncoats

The recommendations made by various committees on reforming the electoral process to make it more democratic remain on the back burner. Along with bringing those recommendations into force the present system of first past the post should also be reformed. Proportional representation, which takes the vote percentage attained by parties in deciding the number of seats to which they are entitled, should be brought into force.

The members of legislatures should lose their membership immediately after they change parties. They should be declared ineligible for re-election for at-least five years after switching sides. Then alone the bane of defections can be brought under control. It is very important for the political parties to give tickets to candidates who are not inclined to put the country’s interests at stake for their own benefits.

Political parties should declare in their manifestoes the measures they intend to take for the development of the society. Parties make tall promises but forget those promises after coming into power should not be allowed to continue in power. We can claim to be a democratic country only when such comprehensive reforms are taken up.