Monday, May 14, 2012

The Sixty year-young Parliament

13th May 2012 was a day of resolve by the otherwise divisive Parliament to keep the Legislative Wings superior to the other two - Executive and Judiciary. It is Judiciary that saved the country from the slanderous behaviour of some of the elected legislators' and Parliamentarians' and even the Executives' misdemeanours. It is not the question of which arm of democracy is supreme so much as which arm is performing to the expectations of its people. Out of the nearly 40crore adults eligible to exercise the franchise, only twenty to thirty percent exercise the franchise. Out of them, many whose interest in future is limited - we find, the old disabled and those closer to their final destination also exercise the franchise. While this is the great virtue of Indian democracy, there is need for electoral reforms that would enable only those with untainted lives in whatever field they have been engaged in the past to contest elections without fear or fervour. It is the fond hope that those elected to sit in Parliament would be the beacon lights to the democracy by not absenting themselves even for a day of its working; by not claiming privileges for their own sake; by enacting laws that reform the nation socially and economically with provisions for speed of execution and with an annual regulatory review of such laws to ensure serving their intended purpose. Sixty years is the age of retirement in India for the present. Many individuals celebrate the Sixty as the marriage day recalling the happy years of married life. The Nation too celebrates - but there should be a resolve to work for the eradication of poverty and achieving growth across the length and breadth of the Nation evenly.  

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