Discuss the various ways in which political parties can be reformed to make them more democratic and accountable.
Answer :
Answer by Student
- A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties. It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act as a judge in case of party disputes, and to hold open elections to the highest posts.
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It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about
one-third, to women candidates
. This would enhance the representation and participation of women in politics.
- The Supreme Court passed an order to reduce the influence of money and criminals . Now, it is mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file an affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him. This would improve the quality and credibility of candidates and leaders.
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There should be
state funding of elections.
The government should give parties money or in-kind support to meet their election expenses. This would reduce the influence of money power and corruption in politics
- The Constitution was amended to prevent defection in order to become ministers or for cash rewards. According to the amendment that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature. This new law has helped bring defection down. At the same time, this has made any dissent even more difficult. MPs and MLAs have to accept whatever the party leaders decide.
Detailed Answer by Teachoo
Political parties are essential for the functioning of democracy, but they also face many challenges and problems. Some of these are lack of internal democracy, dominance of money and muscle power, dynastic succession, and defection . Therefore, there is a need for reforming political parties to make them more democratic, accountable, and representative .
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One possible reform is to enact a law that
regulates the internal affairs of political parties
. Such a law could ensure that political parties follow certain norms and principles, such as: Maintaining a register of its members and making it available to the public, following its own constitution and rules regarding the selection of candidates, decision-making, and distribution of power , having an independent authority or tribunal to act as a judge in case of party disputes or complaints and holding open and transparent elections to the highest posts within the party, such as the president, general secretary, etc.
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Another possible reform is to make it mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to
women candidates
. This would enhance the representation and participation of women in politics, which is currently very low in India. Women constitute about half of the population, but their share in the parliament and state assemblies is less than 15%. By giving more tickets to women, political parties can empower them and address their issues and concerns more effectively.
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A third possible reform is to implement the Supreme Court order that aims to
reduce the influence of money and criminals
in politics. According to this order, every candidate who contests elections has to file an affidavit giving details of his or her property, income, assets, liabilities, and criminal cases pending against him or her. This information has to be made public by the Election Commission and the media. This would improve the quality and credibility of candidates and leaders, as voters can make informed choices based on their background and performance.
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A fourth possible reform is to introduce
state funding of elections
. The government should give parties money or in-kind support, such as free access to media, petrol, paper, etc., to meet their election expenses. This would reduce the dependence of parties on wealthy donors or corporations, who often expect favors or policies in return for their contributions. This would also reduce the influence of money power and corruption in politics, as parties would not have to resort to illegal or unethical means to raise funds.
- A fifth possible reform is to amend the Constitution to prevent defection or switching of parties by elected representatives. Defection is a practice where an MLA or MP changes parties after being elected, either to become a minister or for cash rewards. This undermines the stability of governments and the credibility of parties. The Constitution was amended in 1985 to prevent defection by stating that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature. This new law has helped bring defection down, but it has also made any dissent or disagreement within the party more difficult. MPs and MLAs have to accept whatever the party leaders decide, even if they do not agree with it. Therefore, there is a need to balance the anti-defection law with the right to dissent and expression of elected representatives.
