Tuesday, October 24, 2006

 

Q#1: In a house of independents won't each member be a law unto himself?

Ans: Your concern that when everyone is an independent each would be a law unto himself and there would be only chaos within the elected house, is understandable. Let us visualize a scenario in which all the elected members are independents and the house is meeting for the first time.

As is the practice now, a protem speaker will first be elected. Remember the proceedings will be televised and the press will be there watching the proceedings. We can expect the most experienced of the elected members to be chosen for the job. Any unruly behaviour at this stage by the newly elected members would be noted by everybody - the rest of the members of the house, the public and especially the voters of the constituency which elected him. So everyone would try to put up his/her best show to project his best image on others.

Once the protem speaker is elected he would call for proposal of names for election of leader of the house (the PM/CM). You may say that nearly half of the members may be proposed with the other half seconding them. Whatever be the number of proposals, when put to vote, the member getting the maximum number of votes will be getting elected. Thus the member who is experienced, is familiar among other members of the house and who has a reputation among the public is likely to get elected. Anyone trying to garner support on narrow grounds like money power, muscle power, race, religion, caste etc. and anyone trying to support such members will be watched by other members and the press. Thus the necessity to build a good image of oneself helps weed out unruly elements. Anyone who throws caution to winds will soon find that he lacks support from other members in all future elections within the house. If a group of members join together and operate unethically then the press is there to expose the matter and the public/voters will be watching; either the member has no chance of getting re-elected from the constituency or he can be recalled before the end of the term.

Once the PM is thus elected, it will be his prerogative to choose his cabinet colleagues. Again he has to adopt fair norms to choose from among the members. Any narrow-minded approach will be watched by other members, press and the public. It will be in his/her best interests to select the most efficient and reputed from among the members for the ministerial berths. Once the cabinet is formed and the government starts functioning, it is always in the best interest of any particular minister to select his deputies adopting fair norms. Everyone would try to give his best as one cannot hide behind the 'party line of thinking' and abdicate responsibility. The government once formed would continue as long as it enjoys the support of the majority of members of the house. A regular speaker can be elected once the govt. is formed.

Anyone can bring a 'no-confidence motion' against the government. The member who brings in such a motion, the reasons cited and the debate on the motion would all be watched by everyone (other members, press and public). Any motion brought in for frivolous reasons, any narrow-minded debate would all be 'watched'. Only valid reasons, fair norms would give political dividends. Negative tactics may temporarily succeed but over a period of time they will backfire on those who rely on such methods.Thus the government will be stable; even if it is toppled the next PM would be elected through fair norms as explained above.

The dynamics of the house - where every member is a independent, where they are watched by the press and the public - thus favours honesty, efficiency, broad-mindedness and self-improvement. Over a period of time the partyless system will only improve and it will not deteriorate. Thus every member, whatever be his standing before he gets elected, will have to improve himself if he is to have any future politically. The fear that every member will be a law unto himself in a partyless system thus stands dismissed on close scrutiny.
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