CURBING OF POLITICAL POWERS

Our political system has failed to deliver what was expected of it. Our lives continue to be more complicated and unfulfilled as our politicians and bureaucrats continue to derelict their designated duties without much concern for improving the quality of lives of the people who pay for their sustainance. Let us look at a few day-to-day problems creeping in our system:

• Development funds are siphoned
• Criminals go unpunished
• Bureaucrats carry out illegal orders
• Ministers violate the spirit of the Constitution
• Political rallies are held to project false majority
• Excessive use of casteism to create vote banks for political reasons. Casteism has become a strong tool for gaining political power in the name of protecting the interests of the economically weaker sections.
• Appeasement policies adopted to mollify minorities while overlooking the interest of the nation.

Criminalization of Politics

Last decade has witnessed an increase in the number of criminals entrying the politics. With the help of ill-gotten money, they encourage criminal connections and various political parties then, act as umbrellas for convenience. Honest politicians also find it very difficult, if not impossible to match resources and caste-mobilization of politicians who have only self-interest at heart. The need of the hour is to bring political reforms in our country at all levels.

Rajeev Gandhi's famous remark in the mid-1980s about how only 15 paisa out of every rupee spent by the government on welfare schemes reaches the poor shows how bad is our system. Yet the government continues to come out with new schemes almost every month. n the past we have seen the following projects run by the government, where billions of rupees are spent

• National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
• Mid-day Meal Scheme
• Integrated Child Development Programme
• The road/highway development project
• Bharat Nirman programme

But the effectiveness of these programs/schemes is a debatable issue, since there is no proper system /standard to monitor the efficacy of such projects. In general, most of the funds do not reach the target group, which results in generation of black money.

Last month, the Delhi high court condemned the practice of politicians moving around with gun-toting security guards, which is treated as a 'status symbol' and causes inconvenience to the public. It advised politicians to confine themselves to their homes or offices if they felt threatened by citizens.

Ideal Qualities of Political Leader :

Standard qualities sought in a person seeking to enter politics are:

• Work for the integration of his country.
• Will to solve problems of his region, with the prescribed rules, without compromising national interest.
• Should not have tilt towards any caste, religion and class (rich or poor)
• No appeasement policy
• Should work for the growth of the nation

The level of security for our politicians and bureaucrats gives theimpression that they live with the feeling of great in security. All at the cost of welfare of the comman man and the taxes payers. Areas where our leaders live more or less like fortresses.

Our political system is mired with excessive power
However, our political system provides excessive powers to the elected representatives. Let us take a look at the present powers and facilities enjoyed by our political masters

Ministers and their close associates find themselves elected as members or chairman of various public departments such as:

a) Metropolitan projects
b) UGC (University Grants Commission)
c) Governing bodies of universities and government colleges
d) Cooperative societies
e) Welfare schemes of government
f) Various trade mission/delegates to foreign countries
g) Sports associations
h) Governing bodies of PSUs
i) Various government bodies like IIS, AICTE, NAAC, SSA

It is seen that most of the people want to enter politics to get easy access to: power, wealth, safety and security, incentives such as free air travel, foreign trips and accommodation.

We must encourage serious workers who are ready to work with minimum facilities for providing better life to its citizens.

Way out
There should be restrictions on easy access to the above listed benefits, by elected representative so that only serious minded people find entry and form the government. Their powers can be curtailed by following these simple steps:

Powers of MLAs/MPs
a) Local area development/sanction of projects: Rules should be made so that the MP/MLA as an individual has no say, except as a watchdog. Let RWA/government bureaucrats and experts in their field define the problem and figure out a solution .

b) Interference in government bodies: Make rules so that the elected representatives have no access to interfere in day-to-day working of the government bodies.

c) Chairmanship of governing bodies: Make laws to bar elected representatives to head governing bodies, instead individuals who are experts in their fields like renowned engineers, doctors, lawyers and professors should be selected to head such bodies.

Wealth
Make laws to keep a close watch on every elected representative by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI). And it should be a compulsory watch as this will automatically bar bad elements from entering politics.

Safety and security
MLAs/MPs can be provided security to a minimum level, like an armed guard, but providing excessive security/safety should be banned. This measure will also ban entry of criminals in politics, who enter it for political protection. However, national leaders with important portfolio may continue to enjoy high-level security, as it exists today.

Incentives
Incentives such as free air travel, accommodation and foreign visits need to be reduced so that serious candidates can join politics.

Apex task force on political reforms
The government can make an apex task force with the following composition for political reforms :

• Election commissioner
• Secretary officer ministry of Home Affairs
• Renowned social activist – two members
• Professor in political science from renowned institution like JNU
• Renowned advocate without any political bias
• Renowned professor with in depth knowledge of parliamentary studies.
• DG, Bureaus of Indian Standards
• Renowned journalist/editor of a daily newspaper without any political bias
• Commissioner Central Vigilance
• Political celebrity known for his honesty, if any

This list can be modified for better working of the task force

Authority of Apex Task Force
The apex task force will be a high power team consisting of professionals. The recommendations of this force will be put forth the Parliament for approval. If any suggestion is not approved by the Parliament due to vested interests of politicians (like the women reservations bill) the apex task force under such circumstances can either send a proposal to the President or seek help of the Supreme Court to intervene.

Goals of Apex Task Force

• Implement ways so that political leaders always work for national interest
• Review of reforms in election engineering from time to time
• Restrict the extra ordinary facilities provided to the elected members as listed earlier.

The goal is to bar entry of persons who enter politics just to avail security, power, wealth and enjoy other benefits which come with it.