Democracy Mocked

DEMOCRACY MOCKED

TIME TO HAVE PROPORTIONATE POWER

What we witnessed in Maharashtra for the last one month, and earlier in Karnataka, is nothing short of taking the voters of this country for a ride. It is murder of democracy in the truest sense.

Just imagine how horrible it is that all the losers have come together and formed a government! Isn’t it ridiculous? Then what is the purpose of having elections in the first place? If the party getting majority cannot form a government, then there is something seriously wrong with the constitutional provisions. It is time to amend them.

If  an organisation  conducts interviews for a CEO, would a candidate who is down in the merit be ever appointed? If the same logic holds good, then why should someone who has lost out on the competition be allowed to form the government. It is a flaw which needs to be amended and corrected.

Now the situation in Maharashtra is such that all the losing parties have come together in the form of an alliance and taken away the right to rule by force. This is morally and ethically wrong. It is violation of the mandate and the will of the people. 

In this era of multi-party systems, which is healthy for representation of people, it is becoming difficult to garner a majority. Rarely do we find it, like in the present Central government. But it is not a consistent proposition. There has to be an alternative mechanism to form government. The rag tag stich up of alliances and horse trading is uncouth and disgusting. It should stop!

What if we have a system, wherein—if there is no majority—power is shared proportionately between all the parties? Let them get portfolios and assignments, based on the strength they enjoy in the assembly/parliament. There would be no ruling or opposition party. They all would be in power. Nobody in opposition. And they can be held responsible by other arms of the system—the lower house, the judiciary, monitoring agencies—and most importantly the voters.

A culture would set in where the best possible candidates would be fielded and perhaps in some distant future the best and honest minds would flock to politics. It would become a meritocracy. At least an effort to move in that direction should be made. That is the least the voter can hope for!