Surprisingly, not many among the so-called intellectual community do not seem to know the fundamental principles that drive the Panchayati Raj system in India. Some of the leading journalists and eminent commentators talk of ‘victory-defeat’ with respect to mainstream political parties in the local self-government elections. Mahatma Gandhi had a great vision of Gram Swaraj meaning village self-governance, drawing the spirit from the age-old, highly-tested panchayat system of predominantly rural India. The practice since the Vedic times was that five truly popular persons from within the community with knowledge and integrity would be chosen by consensus to constitute the executive with absolute judicial authority. No crook could ever enter the sacred outfit, no matter how rich he was. Gandhi’s dream died with his assassination. The independent India set up a committee to recommend best practices in 1957 headed by Balwant Rai Mehta when Nehru had great influence over all affairs of political India. Much later in 1985, during Rajiv Gandhi s tenure as boss, another committee, headed by GVK Rao, was constituted to improve upon the first set of ideas. Not fully satisfied, Rajiv organised a third committee under lM Singhvi in 1986 to do a magnificent job to make sure power devolution would occur and the rural self-governance would be thoroughly managed by real good benefactor-volunteers from within the neighbourhood. Singhvi delivered the best design, the highlight of which was complete non-involvement of mainstream political parties in the election process. Contestants would remain non-partisan, no party symbols, no links with any party leaders (photo or name in the posters or leaflets), violation of which could result in disqualification. All the same, the Panchayati Raj system did not gain Constitutional recognition until 1992 when the 73rd Amendment only made it possible. Incidentally, in the mid-1980s, whenever the demand was put up, due to the Sarkaria Commission’s denial, it had not happened despite Rajiv Gandhi’s best efforts and a huge mass agitation in his favour.
So, it reminded that as per law, no contestant except the Zilla Prishad President could be fielded by a mainstream political party who could fight on a party symbol and the post would enjoy the same status as that of a Minister of State. But in reality, the leading political parties with heaps of money and enormously huge muscle power are more than deeply involved in panchayat elections violating all norms, rules and codes. More hurting is they also get away scot-free as the State Election Commissions only mumble discontent mentioned or, at the most, report the matter to some other lower enforcement agency to take some possible action. The State commissions do not use their inherent Constitutional power to enforce penalty in an exemplary manner. For instance, during a general election process, the Puri BJD MlA’s official vehicle was intercepted during a night journey, and party publicity materials were recovered. The incumbent election commissioner ordered police to file only a routine FIR and forgot the matter thereafter. He finished his watchdog role and felt great; he never saw it further to ensure the MlA was aptly punished. The matter began with a timid roar but ended up in a most despicable whimper. Some lawyers argue that the commission did a commendable job because the MlA was the Speaker of the legislative Assembly and, hence, the commissioner displayed utmost courage. The Speaker-MlA is expected to be impartial and above board in the legislature as a nonpartisan member. But outside the House, he is essentially a member of a particular party and should behave like one. It may be noted that only Ajit Kumar Tripathy during his tenure as election commissioner played superbly tough. He ensured that no party symbol for contestants below the ZP President should be seen.
Further, even indirect involvement by any party workers in any activity of the electoral process would result in disqualification of candidature being unlawfully backed up to influence public opinion. It is open truth even today that despite best rules of conduct laid down by the Election Commission of India, worthless elements from nearly all political parties keep spending money and enticing gullible electors to cast votes in their favour. The public consequently never gets the neighbourhood ‘good guy or girl’ who is one among them and not a bully with stolen money and hired muscle power.
The SEC circular is clear: Elections for Ward Members, Sarpanches and Panchayat Samiti Members cannot be fought on party symbols. The contestants shall never associate their names with any party in any form nor should any party make any public claims or display their support to them in any form. Any such action would be deemed as a violation of Code of Conduct, only to prevent the fragmentation of wards and villages on political lines and stop wasteful expenditure. Similarly, appointment of Odisha Administrative Service officers as election observers would be ethically wrong as the neutrality of these officials cannot be guaranteed. lastly, the political commentators, analysts, pollsters, sephologists, statesmen, critics and journalists must refrain themselves from making forecasts outcome figures on party lines, which is plain sin and disservice to the society.
Gandhi’s vision of Gram Swaraj is completely forgotten today. That the Sarpanch should be the most critical functionary in the Panchayati Raj system does not seem to happen in near future. The panchayat has ceased to be the base of the rural self-governance structure. After the country’s independence, Gandhiji focused on that keystone principle of Gram Swaraj at the tail end of his life, but no one cared to listen to him. Incidentally on this day in 1948, he had begun his last fast to persuade decision makers to reject the caste-or-religion line policymaking process in any domain. Further, his last utterances over the last few weeks of his life were in effect his last testament to the people of India and Pakistan. He had said ‘both India and Pakistan are my countries. I am not going to take a passport for going to Pakistan’. He could not go to Pakistan which he had greatly desired. He died at a moment when he was very lonely, and he was a citizen of both countries or of neither country, and there was a lot of ambivalence and ambiguity regarding his life as per experts and historians chronicling his life and times.
wAfter the historic Supreme Court ruling, Odisha authorities are worrying about loss of revenue from liquor business on the highways. “It is impossible to move liquor shops 500 metre away from the highways. There are usually villages, temples, mutts located 500 m away from the highways. People will object to liquor shops there. How can one open liquor shopsIJ These kinds of issues will come up in large numbers,” said Excise Minister Damodar Rout. He may be correct on the figures, but what most authorities do not want to make public is the fact that the State spends more in healthcare due to liquor-triggered accidents and diseases.
w Today is also the World Youth Day, which began in India on Swami Vivekananda’s birthday. The great spiritual leader and monk, born Narendranath Datta in Calcutta on January 12, 1863, was attracted to spirituality and monks from an early age. In his biography of Swami Vivekananda, Swami Nikhilananda writes, “The youngster developed a special fancy for wandering monks, whose very sight would greatly excite him. One day when such a monk appeared at the door and asked for alms, Narendra gave him his only possession, the tiny piece of new cloth that was wrapped round his waist. Thereafter, whenever a monk was seen in the neighbourhood, Narendra would be locked in a room. But even then, he would throw out of the window whatever he found near at hand as an offering to the holy man.” Because the great spiritual leader died virtually young after giving the world practicable sermons, his birthday is observed as a world day to inspire youths of all times.
India incidentally has the most youths. It has 356 million 10-24-year-olds despite having a smaller population than China as per a 2014 UNFPA report. China has 269 million followed by Indonesia 67, the US 65, Pakistan 59, Nigeria 57, Brazil 51, and Bangladesh with 48 million. The world is home to 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 year, 9 in 10 of the world’s young population live in less developed countries. “Never before have there been so many young people. Never again is there likely to be such potential for economic and social progress. How we meet the needs and aspirations of young people will define our common future.”
(The writer is a core member of Transparency International, Odisha)