A very Happy New Year 2018! 2018 will be the
year when this third millennium becomes an ‘adult’ and so will all those born
at the turn of this century!
Most facets of our life are affected at
their root by the sweeping sway of technology. Politics, Religion and law
making appear to have remained comparatively untouched by disruption in spite
of being in dire ‘need’. As we celebrate our Republic Day on 26th January
2018 and with it our constitutional democracy, here are my thoughts on why
large parts of our constitutional democracy should look forward to disruption.
As citizens, it is our duty to ask
questions. If there is one duty at the top of the list of a citizen it is to
question the government. Questioning is the price that government should pay
for holding our country in trust. A government has to stand the test of
questioning, which is the price of Trust and Power and obligation for being
elected. Those trusted with the country are answerable – not in elections but
on a regular less frequent basis. I am tempted to pose some questions (Q)
on the three pillars of our constitutional framework to allow you to take a
quick check on where we stand:
Q on the
Judiciary:
Is legal recourse guaranteed by constitution
available to the citizens considering its prohibitive costs, disproportionate
complexity and procedure and near eternal ‘time to resolution’? (Numerous CJIs
have said this, and therefore no evidence is necessary to prove this).
Q on the
Executive:
Do you as a citizen feel inclined to seek,
as your first preference, government services in education, health, sanitation,
safety, social welfare, housing, etc.? What are the odds of receiving a timely,
courteous and appropriate service?
Q on the
Legislature:
Do those who made a commitment to uphold the
spirit of constitution, get carried away by narrow political ideology, and
underperform to deliver their lofty promises, have little accountability and
treat themselves as an entitled class? Do most elected representatives
strengthen rather than fiddle with the rule of law, government institutions and
administrative mechanism to pollute the vital breath of our democracy?
The answers to questions such as these tell
us that something very important is still amiss! The spirit of our constitution
and the vision of its makers are yet to blossom.
Can Aadhaar disrupt Democracy?
Aadhaar, rather than just a tool for
subsidies or policing, could well become the REAL and DIRECT BEDROCK1 of DEMOCRACY for India! Today, we have
few thousand people2 sitting in legislatures representing 1.3
billion people. Their speed, direction and intention have a lot to ask for.
Once mobile and Aadhaar settle down, there is a massive opportunity beyond
economic and social. Here is throwing a few thoughts and questions (and
wishes):
a. Can Aadhaar be used to vote
(including preferences, recommendations) directly on critical issues – more
frequently – and bring about direct view points of people without any filters?
b. Can Aadhaar be used as a
participation and oversight tool on those who govern us? Rather than a 5 year
big fights and yearly battles in states, can Aadhaar linked participation bring
agility and stability to elections. Rather than being tracked, ensuring we can
track what the elected are up to.
c. Can Aadhaar neutralise
blame game? When people decide directly, there is no one to blame. All the
worthless paid mudslinging will end (and some tv channels will end too).
d. Can Aadhaar be used to test
draft laws before being passed and get direct empirical feedback to measure
perceptions and potential implications directly from citizens/stakeholders?
While we thought we elect ‘representatives’ to do just that, they seem to take
it too lightly.
Imagine a problem in your locality –
shouldn’t people living there give preferences, solutions and be directly
involved in arriving at a solution than just having some ward officer or some
councillor decide our fate. Instead of the triad of long debates, bad
decisions, and timid execution; why not have everyone directly concerned, get
involved.
Of course, there will be norms and ground
rules to avoid endless debate or pitfalls of group decision. Considering the
state of democracy and ill effects of politicisation of issues; a mandatory
participation of people would allow our country to overcome evils the present
model has thrown up. This participation could be the dawn of real freedom and
real responsibility. Such approach could open the high citadels of power to
those who actually own it and not those who ‘win’ it. Then a minister will not
have to go to a calamity affected area to give government aid and claim credit
for himself / party for giving what belonged to people in the first place.
Let us imagine a new level at which direct
participative democracy can transform our country. Let’s ask – Will
DELEGATION undergo disruption where DIRECT is possible? Can this diffuse the
drama of representational election based on political ideology and bring the
ideology of the constitution to the forefront? With growth of technology,
the very idea of Sovereign can undergo disruption. Could some of this be the
eventual fruition of the constitution makers’ dream – Purna Swaraj. Such
disruption in the idea of Republic could make the real winner stand up on the
high pedestal – the Citizen, the Indian, YOU.
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