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Whither True People’s Democracy?

S.K. Sharma and Ashok Khosla, August 1997

The golden jubilee year is an opportune time for the nation to review its practices and rededicate itself for speedy social and economic development. While the nation has made significant progress in fields like agriculture production, it has not been able to tackle most of the problems related with poverty and environmental stress. Crime is on the increase. The entire political system is losing credibility. These trends threaten the very existence of democracy in the country.

Many people blame the loss of ethics in public life as being the root cause of the problem. Whereas there is undoubtedly a need for improving moral standards in public life there is also need to improve our institutions.

Some say that the prime reason for poverty in India lies in the mismanagement of resources - social, economic and natural. The people, they argue, neither have the opportunities nor the obligations of free citizens essential in mature democracies.

Many hold the view that our constitution based on colonial institutions and centralised practices is responsible for our shortcomings. It worked well, they argue, in a colonial rule but has become counterproductive in a democracy; it has fortified colonial mindsets and colonial ethos and has come in the way of establishing true democratic traditions. On the other hand, there are many who hold the view that there is nothing wrong in our constitution; it is the falling standards in public life that have created our problems.

Indian ethos is reflected in the teachings of our great thinkers like Vivekanand, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Aurobindo Ghosh. Gandhiji, the father of the nation, developed his ideology and concepts of democracy on Indian traditions. Indian ethos always recognised spiritual energies generated through empowerment of the people as the main force behind human activity. We need to deliberate how far these values are relevant today and, if they are, then how they can be woven into our governance practices.

Strengthening political institutions

Some argue that we have too few elected leaders who can take decisions to resolve the problems of the people. As a result, the people, especially the poor living in villages, are greatly harassed. Even after the advent of panchayati raj through amendments in the constitution, many local matters are still processed by the district and state bureaucracy. The people find it extremely difficult and expensive to approach ministers. The people, and their local leaders, are thus mostly left at the mercy of the district and state bureaucracy which is neither accountable to the people nor can take final decisions. Local elected leaders also complain that they have neither control over adequate resources nor decision-making powers to fulfil their obligations to the people who elect them.

A view expressed is that given control over local resources and decision-making, the local economy will flourish. This will generate enough resources for legislators to develop infrastructure and wield wide powers as in mature democracies. Today, they exercise power only over poverty.

Strengthening local governance

Effective local governance, many argue, is vitally important for the people, especially the poor, since bulk of their day to day problems are local. Availability of effective decision-making at grassroots, janpad, district and city levels will greatly reduce harassment, speedily resolve problems and accelerate development.

Local governance, analysts say, should be a partnership between local governments and the people. The local laws in many democracies provide for transparency through, (1) right to information, (2) right to be consulted through public hearings and consultations, and (3) right to participate through planning and participatory councils on key issues. Local governance shall thus be accountable to the people and transparency will prevent local officials from indulging in malpractice.

Empowered gram sabhas

According to the traditions of managing villages in ancient India, the gram sabha and not the elected panchayat, should be supreme. The gram sabha used to elect sarpanch and panchs for no more than one to two years by secret ballot with power to remove them any time for misconduct. All decisions were taken and programmes and expenditure reviewed in open assembly. These are common practices in grassroots democracy. We have, by giving firm terms of five years to gram panchayats and providing only nominal control of gram sabhas over them, encouraged corrupt practices in them. We need to ponder whether we should introduce the traditional practices.

The gram sabha of ancient India used to control adequate resources for managing their jurisdictions. We need to ponder whether today’s gram sabhas should also ordinarily not be dependent for support from district and state governments and allowed to function as virtually self-sustaining republics as in the past. Analysts have proposed that gram sabhas should control adequate resources for their needs. These can include land revenue, property tax, education and health fees, water and water pump charges and revenue from selected mineral and forest produce. All village officials namely, panchayat secretary, patwari, school teacher, health officer, rural cooperative secretary, etc, should be under their full administrative control and they should not be transferable by higher authorities. Key staff like the patwari and chowkidar may be licensed by the district government which can cancel the licence only for professional misconduct.

District and city governments

In mature democracies, district and city governments control adequate resources and handle all local matters including land, police and forests. All district officials are under their administrative control and are not transferable by higher governments. They take final decisions on all local matters. They ordinarily do not need any support from state and central governments. Gandhiji proposed similar zila panchayats not the type we have created. The question is, should we not adopt such democratic institutions?

District governments (also janpad sabhas) should cover both rural and urban areas excluding those under city governments and handle both administration and development. Such integration will be convenient to the people and will promote wholesome development.

Problems of the socially disadvantaged and minority groups are a major concern in India. Analysts suggest that statutory multi-stakeholder councils at the janpad and district levels consisting of nominees of SC/STs, OBCs and major religions in the local jurisdiction, women, industry, financial institutions, labour unions, farmers, etc, should dwell on these issues and give appropriate directions. Being local issues, they should be resolved within the district or city. There should be no state or national intervention. This needs serious consideration.

Planning

Planning is at present coordinated by the central government. Financial resources are allocated for socio-economic development without relating them with the environmental profile and its economic and life-support value. Some contend that such planning is unscientific not practised in any mature society. It is also top-down and non-participatory.

In pursuance of the provision on district planning introduced in the constitution, some states have initiated local planning with the participation of the people. Planning clearly needs to be gradually upgraded as scientific regional planning covering socio-economic, infrastructure and environmental matters expressed in analytical, quantitative and spatial plans. Each government should do its own planning coordinated in a reiterative manner.

A national programme

Whatever different perceptions people may have, we must now all get together in the task of rejuvenating the nation - remolding our institutions and society in an orderly and non-violent manner. Unless basic changes in the manner in which we think, function and behave are brought about, the future of democracy itself in the country may be under threat. In some states, the people have already started deciding issues on the streets.

The golden jubilee session of parliament may ponder over these issues. True people’s democracy will, without the least doubt, set the nation on a steady course of sustained social and economic development.

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