Right to Recall

Nobody is sure, what treatment Lokpal is going to get (as & when presented) in the Parliament but one thing is sure that in during last 8-9 months Anna’s agitation has created a kind of awareness among the common citizens especially among the young India, generally going under the influencing currents of bubbling enthusiasm just because feeling self as the instrumental tool for the social and political change.

Anna Hazare also succeeded in bringing the issues of political reforms and black money on the central stage along with the corruption. Most of politicians of the country are of the opinion that as soon as the Lokpal is going settled Anna is going to fresh movement and Anadolan for the politicial reforms with a huge concentration on the Right to recall.

Political wisdom of the country is wondering on the tremendous support Anna Hazare is getting from all sections of society and all parts of the country especially from the youth, whom they have tried to get involved in online social networking and other recent technological developments available in the country.

          This political wisdom of the country is also aware of the fact Lokpal is not going to bring a huge change in their life style and functioning but surely political reforms will force them to have yet another effective strategy  for the survival and probably because of this, there is purposefully delay in decision of implementation of Lokpal as this political wisdom wants to make sure that Lokpal should have shape and appearance resembling with what Anna is demanding but still don’t have most of rights as the Anna is wishing.

          Concept of Right of Recall is nothing but in the simple words is nothing but allowing voters to alter their choice of political leadership without waiting for the next election.  Very frankly since last decade or so I feel that seeds of change in the political scenario of country were waiting in mind for suitable conditions for germination and this concept of Right to Recall worked as the Catalyst for that.

          If we look at the present political system of the country we are bound to find that this is not possible for intellectuals and common business class people to fight elections just because of very huge involvement of money and human power involved in the process. Right of Recall is going to open flood gate for entrance of these classes in the active politics as this will forced the established political leadership either to work for social development or make a way for the entrance of these classes of the society.

          I am not sure what Anna Hazare will demand for the Right the Recall or what presumptions he holds about the implementation of Right to Recall but I am sure of that as and when Anna is going to focus on this, the first answer he and country is going to get from the political wisdom will be that we all are agree that country must have it but we need to look how it will work and we need to make sure that this Right of Recall should not be misused as there is involvement of huge funds in the process of elections.

          Not only for the political wisdom of the country but also for all the intellectuals and experts of laws, here is base for discussion on the implementation of Right to Recall.

          We all know that every M.P. / M.L.A. is getting a fixed annual constituency development funds, I am making this fund to work as the base for the implementation of Right to Recall. My suggestions are:

1] Within the 15 days of announcement of election results, every winning candidate must come out with year wise plan of using this fund with specifying area wise development works and funds required for each and every such work. [Previously I was of the opinion that every candidate should present this plan with nomination papers] Foe example

Work: Youth Activity Center

Year:

Area:

Village:

District:

Description: Construction of R.C.C. building and supply of exercise equipments.

Funds: a] Construction of building on carpet area of 40X100 feet with multi purpose hall Rs. 12 Lakh.

B] Exercise Equipments: Rs. 8 Lakh including [i] [ii] [iii] ….. Name of equipment and price of each.

Total funds involved in project: Rs. 20 Lakh.

2] Every M.P. / M.L.A will be allowed to keep 10% of total allotted funds for the non planned work, to be used either on the year wise basis or during the last year of term as the M.P. / M.L.A.

          3] As all this will be available in the public domain hence this will also work as the tool for bringing transparency in use of M.P. / M.L.A. fund.

          4] This will be duty of every M.P. / M.L.A. to publish [and make available online for future reference] this year wise plan within 30 days from the date of declaration of election result.

          5] Failing to this will allow the election commission to make second choice candidate liable for being declared as the M.P. / M.L.A. of that constituency. This process of development plan will also be applicable for such liable candidate.

          6] At the end of every year, each and every M.P. / M.L.A. will submit a report about proposed and completed development works, within 30 days of year end.

7] Before the end of third year election commission will examine and will take action against those who fail to complete 80% of proposed development works on the year wise basis. In that condition also second choice of people will be allowed to work as M.P. / M.L.A for the remaining two years.  

Political Reforms

Political Reforms
Since past few days mercury level of political arena is on the way of touching a new height with the on going political war of leaders of North India especially of the Bihar with the young Maharshtrian leader Raj Thakre. If we look at the root cause for all these unpleasant happening we are bound to end with political desire of proving the regional supremacy of self over the others.
In fact this regionalism is seeded with our constitution though I am not a constitution expert but surely an Indian with a little bit of wisdom to take the measures of the situations. At the time of independence country was divided into state on the bases of language and unfortunately during these over 60 years of post independence we fail to develop attitude of being Indian still we are Punjabi, Gujarati, Bihari, Rajathani, Maharashtrian or North Indians and south Indians. As we are living in the democratic setup and it is most suited for the political parties to have small but very strong supportive vote banks hence political leadership of the country has preferred to work for keeping the regional identity intact instead of developing attitude and affection for the national identity among the generations of post independence era.
This is always said that there is a silver lining in the dark clouds. In fact this ongoing political dispute is that silver line which must be utilised for initiating the script writing for the much needed political reforms. On my experiences as the common citizen I am putting up some reforms.
Constitutional
There will be no states in the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari whole land will be a nation. This is sure that an opposing argument will be based on difficulties at administrative levels but this can be solved with making provision of increasing the powers of local bodies at the city / village levels and increasing the number of members of Lok Sabha there must be a representative of every five Lakh voters in the dense population areas and for three Lakh voters in the areas of dispersed population.
As there is provision of development funds for every Member of Parliament so this can be made compulsory for all the political parties to face the elections with their proposed development plan for every constituency by utilizing this fund. Winning party which fails to complete less than 80% of proposed development will not be entitled for fighting election from that constituency in the next election.
People often complains and there is truth in it to considerable extant, that MP or MLA of the area has not worked for the all round and equal development in the constituency and has utilized most of the funds for providing facilities to specific area of the constituency. To avoid this I am suggesting change in method of declaring winner of election, instead of present total number of popularity votes, candidate who stood first on the list of popularity votes at 70% of total pooling booths will be declared winner. This might rarely happens that a candidate might get higher votes but as that candidate fails to gets first position at 70% of total pooling booths so this candidate will not be the winner.
There is another way also in which every pooling booth will be converted into single vote and candidate standing first and second will get it. For illustration suppose in a constituency there are 500 pooling booths so a candidate will be entitled for getting maximum 1000 votes and any candidate getting 700 votes should be declared winner. For getting pooling both vote this will essential for the candidate to get at least 20% of total votes. [If 1000 people have voted at least 200 must have voted for that candidate]
Any member of Parliament changing party six months prior to election will not be entitled for fighting the forth coming election on the ticket of newly joined party and will have to wait till next election for being a candidate from the same constituency.
Political parties failing to win 10% of total seats will loose their registration with election commission and their candidates who had won that election will have to join any other party within 30 days of such action.
Political leaders will not be entitled for accepting any gift / donation either from common citizen or from any commercial establishment for self or for party.
Political parties will get election fund equivalent to 5% of aggregate of development fund received by their Members of Parliament.
Candidate are allowed to make maximum election expanses at the rate of Rs. 5/- [Five] per voter and has to submit details of proposed expanses while filling the election forms. Election commission will give Rs. 1 Lakh to every candidate who keeps total election expenses within Rs. 10 Lakh and gets Rs. 1 Lakh from the party election fund.
For registering a party with election commission, which can be done one year prior of next scheduled elections, this will be mandatory to have endorsement from at least 15 present or past members of Parliament who are entitled for fighting election and give written commitment of fighting next election as party candidate of this new political party. Election commission will charge Rs. 30,000/- for registering a political party.
In the case of death / disqualification of a member, instead of holding fresh elections, candidate stood second in the previous election will become member for rest of the term. This rule is applicable only if the time for the next scheduled election is higher than six months, other wise party president will look after the developmental works of the constituency without having voting rights or right of participation in the parliament functioning.
No politician will be entitled for fighting more than five elections irrespective of wining or loosing the election and this will be inclusive of the elections at the city / Village level.
Independent candidates will not be allowed to fight elections for the Lok Sabha, however their participation will be allowed in the city / Village level elections. Here also provision should be made for providing development fund and pre election announcement of development plan by the candidates at the city / village levels.
Rajya Shabha will not exist. President of India will have right of appointing 20 members for Lok sabha but these appointment member will not be entitled for becoming a minister in the government and eventually function as independent candidate.
There will be no reservation in any field on any bases and there will be only one set of laws for all the Indians, irrespective of their caste, religion or region of living. Using a word indicating caste or religion of any citizen will be a punishable crime.
This is common observation that these days working of Parliament House gets hurdles or withheld for this or that reasons hence to avoid this, provision should be made that members must get allowance on the bases of working hours of the house instead of present one which is based on the number of days.
This is also observed that certain politicians are enjoying same portfolio in the ministry for several terms which often leads creation of non satisfaction and irregular [region wise] development works by that ministry. Provision should be made that no politicians should be allowed same ministry for more than three years in the entire political career. However post of Prime Minister & Finance Minister will be free from this restriction.
In the case of ruling party don’t have any member matching with eligibility criteria for the Finance Minister, can appoint any suitable candidate. In that case one member of the party will have to resign from the membership of Parliament and person appointed as finance minister will be treated as representative for the constituency of resigning member.
Baring the Prime Minister, all the ministers and Members of Parliaments will be entitled for 3BHK flat in multistoried building for their residential purpose in Delhi on rental basis. The rent will not be in excess of 20% of salary and allowances and will be deducted at source. All the members have to vacant this flat one month prior of the elections and have to submit such certificate to election officials if fighting elections.
As in the present era politics is no more act of social service and being member of Parliament involves more than adequate economic gains hence if any member needs a security will have to pay for this.
Eligibility Criteria
This is most strange and truly fascinating fact about our country that for being selected to post of forth grade employee say peon one needs to have a minimum educational qualification equivalent of 10 years of school education but for being a politician, representative of millions and nation’s police maker you are free from such obligations. We are often complaining about lowering of moral behavior by the politicians but never put stress for combining the educational qualification with the essentials of political leadership. As at the time of independence educational levels in our country were lower in the true sense but during these 60 years we had marched miles and miles ahead on the road of increasing educational levels hence this is most appropriate time to make certain essential educational levels for fighting elections. My proposed educational eligibility criteria is
For Village Level Elections: Minimum 8 years of school educationFor City Level Elections: Minimum 12 years of school education For Being Member of Parliament: A degree or professional diploma For Being Minister: Post GraduationFor Finance Minister: Economics Post Graduate or CEO of a corporate house with five years experience. For Defense Minister: Retired armed force personal of rank of Major and above or IPS personal of equivalent post. For Prime Minister: Minimum one year’s experience of being a minister is desirable but not essential.
The most and all important eligibility criteria for being entitled as a candidate in any election, person must not have any past criminal record and at any time of election process should not be in prison even due to political reasons.
To Young Indians
I know my most of proposals will be out rightly rejected by majority of the present political leadership of the country, but frankly speaking I had not written a single word for them, all this is about a hard to achieve challenge for younger Indian generation and written for the purpose of awakening them. Once I had read a meaningful and inspiring thought “Be the change you want to see”. I wish to further ahead of this that this is always the younger generations which are willing for change and have the energy sources essential for bringing the change. I wish to say identify your energy potential and instead of using this for destructive works by playing at the hands of politicians, be politicians, utilize these huge energy channels you have for making self and every citizen of country, an Indian in true sense. Do remember old aged persons can only suggest directions for the action but can’t initiate an action this is the reasonability of youth to act and bring a desirable change.