DAYA SAGAR
India is a democratic republic where the parliamentary system of governance has been adopted. Normally elections to the legislature / parliament are held every 5 years and India is the first democratic republic in the world where a very detailed written constitution has been drafted and adopted which provided from the day one equal right to every adult citizen irrespective of the sex/ religion/faith/region/educational level/ economic or /and taxpaying capacity / language spoken/ and like. How hard & selflessly the Constituent Assembly had worked could be well sensed by going through Dr. B.R Ambedkar’s last speech in the constituent assembly ( 25 November,1949) where among other minors he had said
Under the system adopted those who intended to enter the legislature through general elections for the ‘service of those who would elect them) had to look for the highest vote share to qualify it was what natural that the vote seekers would try all possible means/ methods/ approach to woo the voters in one’s favour, it could also be feared even unfair means could be used by some .
In the earlier years, after a decade or so start of general elections , for the reasons of vast Geo-socio diversities and vast economic inequalities among the Indian masses some candidates have been also unfairly using the cast/ religion to win electoral votes as also using the muscle power during campaigns and at occasions there were accusations for some candidates using cash for buying votes through agents exploiting the low economic level of individuals as also distribution of liquor/ offering small material gifts. There used to be booth looting/ capturing also.
It is time to carry the words of Ambedkar ( 25 November 1947 ) to coming generations where he said “By independence, we have lost the excuse of blaming the British for anything going wrong. If hereafter’ things go wrong, we will have nobody to blame. Except ourselves. There is great danger of things going wrong. …. They are prepared to have Governments for the people and are indifferent whether it is Government of the people and by the people. If we wish to preserve the Constitution in which we have sought to enshrine the principle of Government of the people, for the people and by the people, let us resolve not to be tardy in the recognition of the evils that lie across our path and which induce people to prefer Government for the people to Government by the people, nor to be weak in our initiative to remove them. That is the only way to serve the country. I know of no better.
No doubt the political parties also with elections approaching / during campaigns used to make some promises for employments / development if voted to power.
With the times the type & style of “offerings” extended by individual candidates / political parties have been changing and over a last few decades a new style of voter wooing has over taken the reach of direct cash distribution during election days to some voters by the politicians ( particularly political parties ) . Some political parties who may be in power or out of power, keeping eye on large mass of economically weaker segments, start making promises for regularisation of all casual government employees/ making new appoints at lower level/increasing subsidies on daily use items of individuals/ providing some free or at concessional rates consumer items to some segments / providing monthly or quarterly financial support to economically poor families / and like (without any financial scrutiny) if voted to power and those in power start announcing development projects when election ‘announcements’ are approaching.
In recent times some analysts had started questioning those political parties ,that may be in power and offer some cash incentives to some sections if again voted to power, asking why do not they offer such economic benefits to the people during their ‘ present’ regime and it appears that such questions have also now started catching the wits of the politicians for which Mr. Nitish Kumar Bihar Chief Minister taking the lead has announced some direct benefits even before the elections to increase the pension amount for elderly people, widows, and disabled persons from Rs 400 to Rs 1100 per month wef July 2025 and observers in media have reported that even this small amount of pension even after increase, appears bringing joy on the faces of elderly, widows as well as those with disabilities even and decision will ‘benefit’ nearly 110 lakh people. Imagine how poor is the economic level of a large voter population.
Not only that it was around 17 July that Natish Kumar tweeted <” We have decided that from 1 August 2025, that is, from the July bill onwards, all domestic consumers in the state will not have to pay any charges for up to 125 units of electricity, “This will benefit a total of 1 crore 67 lakh families in the state,”>. It has also been on 3O July (PIB) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has announced an increase of 200% to 100% in the honorarium and incentives for ASHA ( Accredited Social Health Activist) and Mamta workers (who work to raise awareness about safe childbirth and maternal and child health).ASHA workers in the state will now get Rs 3,000 per month as an incentive instead of Rs.1000 only & Mamta workers will receive an incentive of 600 rupees per delivery instead of 300 rupees, a substantial increase from the existing amount .
Question here is Political leadership of the day makes announcements for ‘hefty’ cumulative expenditures from state exchequers without any study of financial implications by the concerned administrative departments ‘keeping’ in view any there in view by promising to distribute cash directly to prospective voter community where as in case post of a peon is required by a field department that remains hanging in the process of financial implications.
Should not the civil society take growth of such political culture amongst the political parties seriously and go far exerting positive pressures on the political leadership so as to put a ban on ‘such’ announcements by law like unless the proposals are examined by the bureaucracy for genuineness of the need , the cost benefits and the resource position & the implementation of that should also be made only when there is no any election due within next 9 months.
Not only that even no large value and long duration infrastructure project should be allowed for announcement in a state where normal elections are expected within next 9 months.
Ofcourse the political parties should also be restrained from including in their election manifesto any scheme or programme that would give cash / material benefit to individuals in case the party is voted to power. Such activities lure voters for voting for the party promising direct material benefit to Individuals ; and in case after coming to power the government does not fulfil the promise there is no provision to penalise the promising party ( the manifestos of political parties during Delhi, J&K elections are the examples).
(The writer is is Sr Journalist & analyst of J&K affairs dayasagr45@yahoo.com 09419796096)