Voter Turnout is not an issue

 

 

Voters’ Demands is THE issue

Context :

Ø  Citizen’s Charter of Demand  …………………. 29  Oct  2018

 

Extract :

Dear Voters ,

 

For letting the politicians take us for a ride , we have no one to blame but ourselves  !

 

We have miserably failed in coming up with a citizen’s 

 

“ CHARTER  OF  DEMAND “, which :

 

·         Lists our demands

 

·         Groups these into,

 

#  Urgent but not Important

 

#  Important but not Urgent

 

#  Both , Urgent as well as Important

 

 

·         Devise / launch a Mobile App to solicit citizen’s response to the above , with PRIORITY RATING for each listed item ( 1 = Low  /  2 = Medium  /  3 = High )

 

 

·         Then arrange in descending order of priorities

 

·         For each item , lays down “ Quantified / Measurable “ targets , with target dates

 

·         Send this CHARTER of DEMAND to each political party , insisting that the Party comes out with a public statement , accepting to implement the Charter ( if voted to power , of course ) and also publish this on its web site

 

 

Charter will begin with following “ Declaration of Intent “ :

 

“  We the people of India , submit the following Charter of Demands to the political

   parties contesting 2019 General Election and ask them to accept the same for

   implementing , if voted to power

 

   We will not vote for those parties which refuse to accept this charter

 

   However , if several parties accept this Charter , citizens will vote for those parties

   and their candidates , who will begin their every Election Rally Speech with re-

   affirmation of its acceptance

 

 

   Once a party has accepted the Charter prior to the election , it will need to publicly

   confirm its support to its implementation , even if it fails to form the government

   and sits in the opposition. “

 

 

·         Using the same Mobile App, every quarter , compile citizen feedback on their perception of “ Actual Achievement %age as against Target “ and provide this FEEDBACK of People’s perception , to the government

      

 

 

My  Take :

Is is now more than 5 YEARS since I sent the above blog ( as email ) to our Policy Makers . It is heartening to note that some VOTER GROUPS have made a beginning in this direction, as can be seen from the following news report :

Ahead of polls, citizens' groups float campaigns to boost voter turnout  ….  23 March 2024

Extract :

 As Mumbai gears up for Lok Sabha elections on May 20, citizen's groups are busy trying to boost voter turnout and craft a manifesto that can be presented to victorious candidates.

From Soch Sayani group in Thakur village, Kandivali to the Govandi Citizens' Welfare Group to V-Citizens Action Network (VCAN), various civil society initiatives are collaborating with the Election Commission of India (ECI) to register voters, install pledge walls and organise camps and competitions among housing societies...

 

Congratulations ,

Ø  Soch Sayani group

Ø  Govandi Citizens' Welfare Group

Ø  V-Citizens Action Network (VCAN) / citizens@togethervcan.in

 

BUT ,

Please do NOT wait to present your CHARTER of DEMANDS to the “ Victorious “ candidate .

As suggested in my above-mentioned blog / email , present it BEFORE the election to all the contesting candidates and get them to ACCEPT it in advance , in order to get your votes

And, simultaneously , campaign with all Political Parties to agree to enact a law for RE-CALL of an elected MP , as described at :

Ø  ROMP - A Panacea ?  ……………………. 06 Aug 2015

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  25 March 2024

 

Related Readings :

 

Citizen’s Charter of Demand - V 2.0  … ………………………………………………….19 July 2023

BJP Poll Manifesto     …………………………………………………………………………….[  19  Oct  2013  ]

Congress Poll Manifesto    ………………………………………………………………………[  25  Oct  2013  ]

 Issues Vs Non – Issues    ……………………………………………………………………….[  18  Nov  2013  ]

 Perennial Poll Promises    ………………………………………………………………………..[  15  Dec  2013  ]

Poll Promises ? Tall Promises ?     …………………………………………………………..[  23  Feb  2014  ]

Manifesto Misconduct ?    …………………………………………………………………………[  26  March  2014 ]

 If / Then     ………………………………………………………………………………………………….[  06  April  2014  ]

 What Are the Chances ?    …………………………………………………………………………[  18  May  2014  ]

 BUDGETING     BY    OBJECTIVES   …………………………………………………………….[ 05 Dec 2014 ]

 But You have Promises to Keep    ……………………………………………………………..[  14  May  2016  ]

 

Model Code of ( Hypocrite ) Conduct ?   ………………………………………………………[  07 Jan  2017  ]

We are not bribing the Voters !     ………………………………………………………………[  10  Jan  2017  ]

 Time to ditch Model Code of Conduct ?    ……………………………………………………[  22  Jan  2017  ]

 Electoral Reforms Capsule : A Bitter Pill ?    …………………………………………………..[ 06 Feb 2017 ]

 Innovative Financing ?    ………………………………………………………………………………[ 06  Mar  2017  ]

 It is Catching On !    …………………………………………………………………………………….[  06  Dec  2017  ]

 AN OBJECTIVE GOVERNMENT ?    …………………………………………………………………[ 06  Feb  2018  ]

 People’s Pulse ? People’s Confusion ?    ………………………………………………………..[  12 July 2018 ]

 

 

 ==================================================================

CC :

Shri Rajiv Kumar ( Chief Election Commissioner / ec@eci.gov.in )

Hon Supreme Court ( supremecourt@nic.in )

Maj. Gen. Anil Verma (Retd.)  
+91-88264-79910
anilverma@adrindia.org

 

 

Mr. Jaskirat Singh
+91-93160-84953
jaskirats@gmail.com

 

Mr. Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu
+91-98854-19012
rakesh@bhumi.in

 

Dr. Nani Bath
+91-94369-52143
nanibath@rediffmail.com

 

Mr. Tasaduk Ariful Hussain
+91 361 2338-888
+91-94350-54775
arif@nestinfo.org

 

Mr. Rajiv Kumar
+91-93343-76048
+91-96319-76889 
rajivkumar_patna@rediffmail.com

 

Mr.Gautam Bandyopadhyay
+91-0771 4064-328
+91-98261-71304 
gautamraipur@gmail.com

 

Mr. Bhasker Assoldekar
+91-98203-53159
vibhanatural@hotmail.com

 

Ms Pankti Jog
+91-9909006791
jogpankti@gmail.com

 

Mr. Jaskirat Singh
+91-93160-84953
jaskirats@gmail.com

 

Mr. O.P. Bhuraita
+91 8894164165
opbhuraita@gmail.com   Or   opbhuraita@rediffmail.com

 

Mr. V.K. Malik
+91 9418150001
vinodkmalik@hotmail.com

 

Ms. Abha Bhaiya
+91 9468768872
abhabhaiya@gmail.com

 

Mr. Bhim Singh
+91 9418073190
bhimsingh1975@gmail.com

 

Mr. Sanjay Choudhary
+91 94184-94041
+91 8679209350
choudharysanjay90@yahoo.com

 

Mr. Balvinder Singh
+91-94191-95295
sangarshrtimovement@gmail.com

 

Dr Shaikh Ghulam
+918803943048
drshaikhgr@gmail.com

 

Mr. Sudhir Pal
+91-0651 2202-202
+91-94311-07277
manthanindia@gmail.com

 

Prof. Trilochan Sastry
+91-94483-53285
 trilochan@iimb.ac.in 

 

Dr. R. Balasubramaniam
+91-94480-79611
drrbalu@gmail.com

 

Mr. Harish Narasappa
+91-98860-27804
harish@dakshindia.org

 

Mr. Vasudev Sharma
+91-94484-72513
vadeshanv@gmail.com

 

Ms. Kathyayini Chamaraj
+91-97318-17177
kchamaraj@gmail.com

 

Mr. Gururaja Budhya
+91-94488-49353
gururajabudhya@gmail.com

 

Mr T. Ravindran
+91-93493-33458
ravindran.trn@gmail.com

 

Ms. Rolly Shivhare
+91 9425466461
shivhare.rolly@gmail.com

 

Ajit Ranade
+91-97022-15312
ajit.ranade@adrindia.org

 

Mr. Sharad Kumar

+91 9869 403721
sharadkumar40@gmail.com

 

Mr Miranjan Loitongbam
+91 9089342028
miranjan@gmail.com

 

Ms. Mayfereen Ryntathiang
+91-8575017983
mayfereenlyngdoh@gmail.com

 

Ms. Hekani Jakhalu
+91 9856307033
hekanijakhalu@yahoo.com

 

Ranjan Kumar Mohanty
+91-0674 2382175
+91-0674 2352278
+91-94370-13723
pecuc@hotmail.com, odishaelectionwatch@gmail.com

 

Mr.Jaskirat Singh
+91-93160-84953
jaskirats@gmail.com

 

Parvinder Singh Kittna
+91 9814313162
pavikittna@gmail.com

 

P. Joseph Victor Raj
+91-94860-86938
vrhope@gmail.com

 

Mr. Nikhil Dey
+91-94140-04180
nikhildey@gmail.com

 

Mr. Kamal Tak
+91-94134-57292
rajelection0@gmail.com , kamalrti@gmail.com

 

Dr. Sudarsan Padmanabhan
+91-044 2257-426
+91-94447-82884
padmanab@gmail.com

 

Mr. Ajay Gandhi
+91-99630-77444
ajay@wingsinfo.net

 

Ms. Sowmya Kidambi
+91-94904-69329
sowmyakrishkidambi@gmail.com

 

Mr. Rajendra Prasad
+91 9849 648363
rmvfindia@gmail.com

 

Mr. Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu
+91-98854-19012
rakesh@bhumi.in

 

Mr. Biswendu Bhattacharjee
+91-94361-25214
biswendu.tripura@gmail.com

 

Mr. Sanjay Singh 
+91-94151-14151
sanjaysingh033@gmail.com

Dr Lenin
+91-99355-99333
+91-99355-99330
lenin@pvchr.asia

 

Mr. Sanjay Rai
+91-522 2349-556
+91-9415121462
sanjaykrai@yahoo.com

 

Mr. Mahesh Anand
+91-94152-33694
+91-99367-47774
gramswarajsamiti@gmail.com

 

 

Mr. BP Maithani
+91-9012878346 
maithani_56@yahoo.com

 

Dr. Ravi Chopra
0135-2773849, +91-9411135976
rachop@gmail.com

 

Mr. Girija Pande
+91-9412351759
girija.pande@gmail.com

 

 

Dr. Ujjaini Halim
+91-98302-99326
ujjainihalim@hotmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gadkariji : an EB alternative for you

 

 

Dear Shri Nitin Gadkariji  :

 Just read your views about Electoral Bonds in following article :

‘No political party can run without funds’, Nitin Gadkari supports electoral bonds scheme  (MINT/23 Mar 2024)

Extract :

‘It's not possible to run a political party without funds’, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the electoral bonds scheme was struck down as “unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court. However, it was started by the central government with a “good intention", the BJP leader said. 

Gadkari said all political parties need to sit together and deliberate if the Supreme Court gives any further direction on the matter, PTI reported. 

Speaking at an event organized in GIFT City near Gandhinagar on Friday, the minister said, “When Arun Jaitley was (Union finance) minister, I was part of that discussion (regarding electoral bonds). No party can survive without resources."

"In some countries, governments fund political parties. There is no such system in India. Thus, we chose this system of financing political parties," said Gadkari on a question about electoral bonds," he said. 

The BJP leader also noted the main intention behind introducing electoral bonds was that political parties get funds directly, but the names (of donors) are not disclosed because “problems arise if the party in power changes". 

Citing an example of a media house, Gadkari said political parties also require funds to run their affairs just like a media organization needs a sponsor to finance an event, as per PTI reports. 

"You need to see the ground reality. How are parties supposed to fight elections? We brought this system of electoral bonds to bring transparency. So, our intention was good when we brought electoral bonds. If the SC finds any shortcomings in it and asks us to rectify it, all parties will sit together and unanimously deliberate on it," he emphasized. 

"In the interest of our country and value-based democracy, everyone needs to find a transparent way (of financing parties). Because without funds, parties can't undertake any activity," Gadkari added. 

Last month, the Supreme Court of India annulled the electoral bonds scheme ahead of the Lok Sabha elections that are scheduled to take place in seven phases beginning from April 19.

 

 

Dear Nitinbhai ,

You are absolutely right when you say :

Ø  Parties cannot manage to survive without funds

Ø  All Parties must sit together / debate and come up with an alternative which is CONSTITUTIONAL

In this connection, I urge you to :

Ø  Forward my following proposal to all political parties / Election Commission / Supreme Court

      (  Transparency in Political Funding ?................ 06 July 2017 )

Ø  For arriving at a consensus, as regards constructing a transparent and equitable FORMULA to determine, the share of different political parties in Central Election Fund ( CEF ), controlled by the Election Commission,  compile and share following data with all parties . The fundamental logic which must dictate the % share of different parties , must be :

“ During the rule of the various parties ( at the Centre and in the States ), how much did the citizen progress ? How much did they benefit ? How much did their “ Ease of Living “ improve ? “

This should get determined by the following INDICES ( - by no means, comprehensive ) :

( A )  For the National Level Parties :

        Party wise performance in the 2009 - 2014 – 2019 Lok Sabha elections :

              #  Percentage of Vote Share # Percentage of Lok Sabha seats

              #  GDP / Investment / CAD / Exports / Per capita Income / Employment rate    

             

       ( B )   For the State Level parties :

 

                     Party wise performance of past 4 periods ( of 5 years each ) of each State :

                    #  Percentage of Vote share  #  Percentage of State Assembly seats

                    #  State-wise data of % age ( of All India figure ) of GDP/Investment/Exports/Per capita Income

                    #  NITI Aayog rank ( Health / Food / Housing / Tax Revenue / Deficit / Employment )

 

Main advantages of my proposal are :

Ø  No scope for Black Money ( since all expenses by candidates / parties, by Digital methods )

Ø  Total and “ Instant “ , transparency of all donations to CEF

Ø  No “ Quid pro Quo “

Ø  Incentive for Corporate to set off donations to CEF against their CSR obligations

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.HemenParekh.ai  /  24 March 2024

 

Extract from my e-mail of 06 July 2017 :

 

STRUCTURE

No direct donations ( even Rs 5 ) by anyone to any Political Party or to any

Political Leader ( even as birth-day gift ! )

      Creation of a CENTRAL ELECTION FUND ( CEF ) , controlled / administered by the

Central Election Commission

      Donations can only be given to CEF – and only by cheque / online etc , quoting

Aadhar number

      Donations will get tax exemption as CSR

      CEC will publish , on its web site , a continuous / dynamic / daily ACCOUNT of

amounts received ( with Aadhar No of each donor ) and amounts spent /

disbursed by CEC to Political Parties / Candidates ( with full details of each )

  

·     From CEF , Election Commission will distribute FUNDS to political parties for

      fighting elections / other expenses , on predetermined ‘ Occasions ‘

 

  

PROCESS

·   Funding of Political Parties by CEC ( from CEF ) , can be made as per following two

    alternatives :

 

 

[ A ]    AFTER  THE  ELECTION ( CANDIDATE – based Reimbursements ) :

 

#  After each Election ( Central / State / Municipal ) , ALL candidates contesting

    the election ( including independent candidates ) , shall submit to CEC ,

     a STATEMENT of EXPENSES incurred in fighting the election.

  

Even if a group of parties have come together to fight the election (

MahaGathBandhan ), each candidate will get linked to ONE party only

  

#  Statement will be as per format decided by CEC , giving category-wise expense

    details ( all payments listed in the statement , must be through legal / official

    channels , such as Cheque / Electronic Bank Transfer / Mobile Wallets etc )

 

 #  There will be UPPER LIMITS of REIMBURSEMENT for each category of expense

    and an overall limit

 

 #  The statement will also show the “ Sources of Funds “ ( with full details such as

    OWN or borrowed from CLOSE RELATIVEs , with names )

  

#  Actual amount to be reimbursed to each candidate , will be computed based on

    a number of factors , main factor being the “ percentage of popular votes

    polled “ by that candidate ( no reimbursement for those candidates who get

    less than 5 % of popular vote )

 

 #  Actual re-imbursements made by CEC , shall not be counted as INCOME of that

    candidate , for Income Tax purpose

  

[ B ]   BEFORE  THE  ELECTION ( PARTY – wise ADVANCES ) :

 

 # Before each election , All recognized Political Parties will get ADVANCES from

   CEF , computed using a TRANSPARENT , mathematical formula , based on

   following factors :

  

# FACTORS with POSITIVE WEIGHTAGE :

 ·    In all the elections since independence ( Central + States + Municipal )

    , percentage of popular votes polled by each party in those elections along with

     the percentage of seats won by each party

 ·    Number of years for which the party has been recognized by CEC

     Cumulative number of “ Days “ ( not months or years ) , each party was in

    power ( Centre + States + Municipality ) since independence

 

 No ( or percentage ) of seats “ won “ in each election

 

      #   FACTORS with NEGATIVE WEIGHTAGE :

  

·         No of MPs / MLAs having criminal cases pending against them

    No of times candidates / parties were “ warned “ by CEC ( for any reason )

    No of years for which Annual Return NOT filed with EC

    No of candidates / Legislators convicted by a Court

 

 ======================================================

 

Related Readings :

       Make Me A Party…………………………….. [ 03 Oct 2017 ]

  Electoral Bonds for Transparency ?.. [ 03 Jan 2018 ]

  Don’t Disclose Donations …………………[ 04 Jan 2018 ]

  Of Electoral Bondage ?................... [ 30 Mar 2019 ]

  Please Hear and Read too……………….. [ 19 Mar 2021 ]

  Thank You for “ Reading “/“ Asking “ [ 24 Mar 2021 ]

        But what is info in “sealed cover“?.....[ 05 July 2021 ]

       Electoral Bonds Fully Transparent ?  Not to Public……………  22 Nov 2022

An Alternative to Electoral Bonds ? .. …15 Feb 2024