Anna’s options challenge for Indian youth

This is now as clear as sunlight, at least judging from the reaction of various political leaders it appears that the draft which will be presented in the Lok Sabha will be totally different from one which Anna wants. This now only rests with time, which will announce pre birth death of Lok Pal. In these situations Anna will be left with option of starting all again with yet another agitation from the 16th August 2011 as Anna has already announced. The question is ‘is Anna left with this solo option?’ Certainly not because last time politicians specially those are in power were saying that as Anna is not elected by people hence he can’t dictate terms for constituting Lok Pal, this time they will come forward with argument that draft of Lok Pal is under consideration of members of Lok Sabha and it various committees, hence Anna should not blackmail us and nation.
Looking at the situation of country we are at the status of urgent need of time bound free and fare investigating authority for the corruption. This is also fact that proposed draft of Anna’s Lok Pal bill will create a kind of fear among the minds of corrupt people, though I don’t agree with punishment powers given to Lok Pal, but still I support this because the major difference between the present constitutional provisions, investigating agencies and Lok Pal is the time bound actions. This is sure that provisions like the Lok Pal will bring the corruption under control to a large extant but this will remain only matter of time before we will need another provisions stronger than Lok Pal, because Lok Pal and other constitutional provisions are just punishing present corrupt people with doors open for the entrance of new players of corruption..
Anna is left with another option of expanding area of reforms and go for the election reforms as this will be a step in direction of closing the door for the entrance of corrupt people at higher post.
During the Anna’s Satyagrah for drafting Lok Pal bill, a debate was on the powers of leaders elected by the people during the elections and even Anna was suggested to fight 2014 elections to come in power and constitute bill of own will. If we look at political horizon of country during last 30-40 years this is very clear that after the elections not elected political leadership emerge and start leading as there is constitutional provision for this, any person can lead the government even by being member of Vidhal Parishad (states) or Rajya Sabha. If we look at purpose of these houses we will learn that these were constituted for the involvement of professionals and socially renowned citizens in the day to day work of government and work as the controlling authority. Unfortunately in the recent times these houses are used for political adjustments and backdoor entry to power. Surely we had reached to time when we need to think very seriously over the existence of these houses.
I am putting a draft for the election reforms with keeping eye at closing the doors for entrance of corrupt people to power. My election reforms are
1] There will be no Rajya Sabha or Vidhan Parishad, instead of that number of members of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies will be raised to double of present number. From every constituency two representatives, one male & one female will be elected.
2] Elections will be held at interval of 6 years instead of present 5 years. The difference will be that instead of entire country/ state, one third of country will elect representatives at the interval of two years; these elected representatives will have a term of 6 years. For illustration in the years 2014 Lok Sabha elections will be held for two third of country and for the remaining one third elections will be held in the years 2016. Half of the elected in 2014 will have term of 4 years as next elections in these areas will be held in 2018 and for remaining one third elections will be held in the year 2020.
3] State elections will be held as par pre define schedules but the change will be that there will be no Vidhan Parishad, One third members will have term of 2 years, one third of 4 years and remaining one third will have full 6 years term.
4] Like the President, Prime Minister will also be elected by members of Parliament and state assemblies and will have term of minimum 2 years (If not dismissed by President). A person will not be allowed to hold post of Prime Minister / State Chief Minister for more than 10 years.
5] Prime Minister or State Chief Minister will have option of including non elected professionals, socially renowned citizens to council of ministers with limitation of number of such inclusions remains under the 2% of total number of seats. Such included members will be part of government but will not have power of voting either in favor or against the government.
6] Graduation is the minimum educational qualification for being a candidate for the elections of State Assembly or Lok Sabha.
7] Any citizen is allowed to fight maximum 10 elections (total) of State Assembly and Lok Sabha during entire life,
8] Candidate must be citizen / voter of that particular constituency since last 10 years from which willing to fight elections.
9] No person should be allowed to represent same constituency for more than 4 times.
10] If an elected representative resigns before completing the term he/she will have to pay the entire government expenses will be occurring for holding fresh elections, which will be held within 30 days from the date of resignation. Similarly in the case of death of representative fresh elections will be held within 30 days.
11] During the term as the public representative no one will be allowed to be active part of any of commercial activity or even held any post in the political party.
12] Before taking oath as M.P. / M.L.A person should resign from the party post held.
13] Specialised ministries should be allotted to specify persons for instant Finance Minister must be post graduate of economics, sports minister must be a sports person with representation at state, national or inter national levels, Science & Technology Minister should be a science post graduate and. Minister associated with youth affairs must be under age of 40 years.
14] Like the minimum age limit there will be upper age limit of 70 years for qualification for being candidate for elections.
15] Along with nomination forms every candidate must declare source for the expenses to be made, this must be at least equivalent to two third of admissible expenses.
16] Every candidate must submit year wise plan of expensing M.P. / M.L.A. fund with details for the constituency along with nomination form.
17] Any citizen under judicial trial will not be entitled for being candidate at elections.
18] Every M.P. / M.L.A must publish year wise property held through news papers and own official website, this declaration must include property of last 10 years.
19] Speaker of house will not be entitled for voting.
20] Instead of single admissible election expense, this will be calculated on the basis of number of voters in the constituency with subjected to equivalent to maximum Rs. 20 per voter.
21] Non refundable security deposit for the candidate will be equivalent to 5% of government expenses occurring for holding the elections in that constituency. This security deposit will be part of admissible expenses.
22] Political Parties will be allowed to collect funds from their members and supporter but this must be minimum of Rs. 5000/- and names of donors with PAN numbers must be published in news papers and on the official website quarterly. There must be year wise list of donors with amount for last ten years.
23] Every candidate must declare the amount given to election fund of party; this amount will be treated as part of admissible expenses.
24] If two or more political parties are making pre poll seat adjustment, they should fight the election on same and single symbol.
25] If a M.P. / M.L.A. fail to implement 80% of development plans under the M.P. / M.L.A. funds for two years, he /she will be called back and fresh elections will be held in that constituency within 30 days, such M.P. / M.L.A. will have to pay for the government expenses occurring due to fresh elections.
26] If a government employee wishes to fight election, he /she should not be in government service on the day of filling nomination papers.
27] M.P. / M.L.A will be entitled for free housing / telephone etc either at capital or at home town.
28] There should not be any post poll alliances. In a hung assembly / parliament political party / pre poll alliance with highest seats will be allowed to form government with provision of restructuring voting powers. This means every member of party in power will have voting power equivalent to more than one where as for others this will be below 1 vote.
29] M.P. / M.L.A will not be allowed to be part of any N.G.O., sports authority or any other organization, He / She must resign from such post before filling the nomination papers.
30] This is most common in the recent times that assembly / parliament remains suspended for considerable duration due to this or that reason, if during any session assembly / parliament is suspended by speakers for more than 10% of total functional time of that session, all the M.P. / M.L.A will not be entitled for the allowance for that session.
31] Neither the family members nor the relatives of any M.P. / M.L.A will be entitled to part of any N.G.O. or any other social organization established during the turn over as the M.P. / M.L.A.
32] Any commercial establishment associated with M.P. / M.L.A. (including family members and relatives) will be entitled for loans only either from Bank or from government and not from any other source.