To,
Honorable State Election Commissioner,
Maharashtra State Election Commission.
Subject: Measures
for Making the Democratic System Citizen-Centric, Transparent, and Accountable.
Respected Sir,
Through the
autonomy granted to the Election Commission and the reforms initiated by the
former Election Commissioner of India, Mr. T.N. Seshan, significant
improvements have been made in the election process, resulting in positive
outcomes visible to all Indians.
Unfortunately, following his
tenure, relevant reforms have stalled, and even after 78 years of independence,
the democratic ideals envisioned by the Constitution have yet to be realized.
The right
to information about the workings of democratic institutions is a fundamental
constitutional right for citizens. Despite this, even after seven decades of
independence, citizens lack access to basic information on local governance,
with limited or no transparency at the level of municipal corporations, state,
and central government institutions.
The State
Election Commission regularly encourages citizens to strengthen democracy by
participating in elections, and citizens respond positively by voting
enthusiastically.
However, a question arises: “is
voting alone sufficient to strengthen democracy” ? Choosing a "qualified" individual
for positions ranging from village council members to Members of Parliament is
also crucial for bolstering democracy. Each and every Voters must have easy
access to a candidate's educational, political, economic, and social background
to make informed decisions.
Not only that , In fact, the Election Commission
itself should create a system to convey complete information to every voter about
the candidate's educational, financial, criminal background, details of the
work done, allocation of funds, questions raised in the Legislative
Assembly-Parliament.
Unfortunately, there is no
information available to voters about the use of funds allocated to
representatives like MLAs and MPs over the past five years. Is this the type of
democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters?
In an era where
there is a call for transparency, why are citizens denied information about the
operations of democratic bodies? Why isn’t every decision and expenditure from
the village council to the state and central government made available in the
public domain? It is widely acknowledged that secrecy breeds corruption, so why
maintain secrecy in the functioning of these institutions?
This longstanding question remains unanswered: “why does the Election
Commission not take steps to strengthen democracy by ensuring transparency in
all governmental institutions”? If the Election Commission mandates that all
MLAs and MPs make their five-year work records available to the public, no
political leader or party would dare to oppose this requirement, as they would
have to face the public every five years during elections.
MAIN PRAYERS BEFORE AUTHORITY :
1. Mandate 100% Voting Participation: Currently,
voter turnout hovers between 60-70%, meaning that around 35-40% of votes are
sufficient to secure power. To strengthen democracy, it is essential to mandate
100% voter participation in all elections across India. Those who fail to vote
without a valid reason should be ineligible for government benefits. Alongside
traditional voting, alternative methods like OTP-based digital voting should be
implemented.
2. Implement Voting with Biometric Identification : Preparing
voter lists, updating them, issuing voter ID cards, and their distribution
involves significant human resources, administrative time, and government
funds. The Election Commission should adopt a "One Nation, One ID"
approach and allow voting solely based on Aadhaar biometric verification.
3. Publish Background Information on Candidates: Before
elections, the State Election Commission should publish candidates' educational
qualifications, criminal records, information about illegal constructions, financial
status, and any history of illegal activities on its website. This information
should be shared with voters at least three times via social media platforms.
4. Require Progress Reports for Re-Election:
Candidates seeking re-election should be required to publicly provide a
progress report detailing their work over the past five years.
5. Transparency of Funds: The Election Commission
should mandate that the spending details of Corporaters , MLA, and MP funds,
including the nature of work, contractor’s name, and expenses, are available on
its website.
6. Enforce Election Manifesto Accountability: Parties
should present a blueprint for implementing their pre-election promises and be
legally bound to disclose the validity and feasibility of pledges like reservation
policies.
7. Conduct Digital Awareness Campaigns for Voters:
Many citizens lack awareness of the exact responsibilities of elected
representatives. To build a well-informed electorate, the Election Commission
should launch digital awareness campaigns; distribute educational content via
social media.
8. Establish a Code of Conduct for Elected
Representatives: Just as a Code of Conduct applies during elections,
elected representatives should adhere to a similar code throughout their term.
9. Set Educational Qualifications for Elected
Representatives: Just as qualifications are required for various
professions, minimum educational standards should be set for positions of
leadership.
10. Introduce a Fit/Unfit System for Elected
Representatives: The Election Commission should establish a system for
evaluating representatives based on their performance, ensuring that only
competent and deserving individuals remain eligible for re-election.
11. Establish a Study Group: A dedicated study group
should be established to devise measures for ensuring a citizen-centric,
transparent, and corruption-free democratic system.
Thank you for considering this memorandum. We hope for
positive actions to be taken in response.
Sincerely,
Your’s
Sudhir
Laxmikant Dani
and all members of Alert Citizens
Forum, Navi Mumbai
Email: alertcitizensforumnm@gmail.com
Phone: 9869226272
Cc:
1] Honorable Chief Election Commissioner, India,
2] Hon. Governer , Maharashtra,
3] Hon. Chief Minister , Maharashtra ,
4] Hon. Chief Secretary, Maharashtra
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