Getting it right

The coming general elections are historic for several reasons. They are being held in the shadow of several developments of far-reaching consequences. As a nation we face challenges on the economic front, and on terrorism, extremism, unemployment, rising food prices, poverty that refuses to go away and crises in agriculture. We need good governance, but it is unlikely that the new government will provide it. 

Information on candidates recently announced for the coming 2009 elections, based on the affidavits these candidates filed in 2004 shows a disturbing trend. Out of a total of 278 candidates whose records are available, 63 have criminal records. This works out to 22.7 per cent compared to 128 out of 542 sitting MPs, or 23.6 per cent. There are 39 candidates with serious charges including murder, attempt to murder, rape, kidnapping, dacoity, robbery, other violent crimes and different types of financial fraud. 

Among the major parties for which substantial data are available, the BJP has 28 candidates with criminal records out of 116 for which data are available, or 24.1 per cent, with 12.1 per cent having serious charges. Similarly, the Congress has 10 out of 62 (16.1 per cent, with 8.1 per cent having serious charges), the Samajwadi Party 6 out of 24 (25 per cent, with 20.8 per cent serious), and the CPM 2 out of 27 (7.4 per cent, with 7.4 per cent serious).

At the same time, data from over 25,000 records collected since 2002 show that the declared assets of candidates have grown by over 400 per cent. The source of this increase in wealth is not known. Election spending has crossed all limits, and there are routine reports of vans full of cash and liquor being seized by the Election Commission, and candidates spending crores of rupees. Elections have therefore become an investment that can later be recouped from contracts and kickbacks from government schemes and infrastructure projects. However, this is the money spent directly in elections. Behind the scenes, big money continues to influence governments and governance.

The growth of regional parties, emergence of new parties, decline of the national parties and the breakdown of coalition partners even before the elections means that there is stiff competition for votes. Given the high stakes involved, the campaigns are going to be high-pitched, ugly and divisive, along with huge spending. Hate speeches have started and are likely to continue. Stars and celebrities have joined in. Parties will up the ante, there will be appeals based on religion, caste, language, narrow interpretations of culture, and regional identity. No national leaders have shown any inclination to keep their cadres in check. It is clear that this heady cocktail of crime, money, glamour, fragmented parties and shrill competition for votes will not lead to good governance.

But there are signs of hope. My own work with the Association for Democratic Reforms began in 1999, and has put me in touch with over a thousand NGOs in every state of our country. Voter awareness even in remote parts of rural India is higher than it ever was. People say “all politicians and parties are the same. They are not interested in doing anything for the people; they are only interested in their own welfare.”

In urban areas, for the first time we see the English-speaking elite, corporate executives and businessmen joining civil society organisations demanding good governance and accountability. Eminent citizens and celebrities have lent their voices. There is definitely a growing people’s movement at present, spanning rural Bharat and urban India, involved in monitoring the coming polls.

Public pressure is necessary, but we also need structural changes in the election system to counter the challenges of economic slowdown, unemployment, terrorism, extremism, poverty, rising food prices, and agriculture crisis. We need to bring in greater transparency and democracy in the process of selecting candidates by political parties. We also need to seriously consider the recommendation of the Working Committee to review the Constitution headed by Justice Venkatachaliah that a winning candidate has to get over 50 per cent of the votes cast. That might require a second round run-off poll between the top two candidates, as is done in France. That immediately changes the incentive structure for political parties — the hate speeches will disappear and divisive politics will go.

The coming general elections are likely to be one step forward in the long march towards clean elections, greater democracy and good governance. The situation might seem to get worse in the coming elections. However, India is too resilient a country to go down under the weight of recent events. The first signs of change can already be seen in the rising public demand for good governance, and the re-emergence of the elites into civil society activity. Hopefully, in the election after this one, we will see definite improvements.

The writer is founder member, Association for Democratic Reforms