Electoral Reforms for a New Era: A Snapshot - B. G. Keskar

The discourse surrounding India's electoral process is perpetually fraught with controversy. On one side, there are allegations of vote theft and accusations against EVMs; on the other, opposition members are welcomed with open arms into the ruling fold and sanctified. In this climate, the rural storyteller B. G. Keskar offers a sharp, clear-eyed commentary on the reforms needed to bring our electoral process in tune with the times. In Summary:

Eliminate the influence of black money, caste, and religion from elections.
Provide the government an uninterrupted five-year term to work for the people.
Permanently abolish by-elections, thereby saving administrative time and expense while eradicating the disease of political rebellion.
Require appointed MLAs and MPs to face a public vote of confidence after two and a half years. Failure to secure it would result in the forfeiture of all pension and benefits.
Mandate independent candidates to submit a pre-election affidavit declaring which party they will support if elected, thus ending the horse-trading of independents.
Compel political parties to declare, via affidavit, which parties they will form an alliance with post-election, preventing unholy and ideologically opposed coalitions.

Background

India's democracy is a system that has stood the test of time—mature, profoundly simple, and all-encompassing. Its core features can be summarized as: one person, one vote; a simple voting process; transparent vote counting; swift results; and a peaceful transition of power.

Preamble

With such beautiful features, the question of why we need fundamental reforms is natural. However, no matter how robust a system is, anti-social elements gradually infiltrate it, succeeding in sabotaging its original objective. We see this clearly in the utter mockery made of the Anti-Defection Law and the loopholes exploited within it. Furthermore, the torrential flow of money, the appeal and allure of caste, and a deluge of populist promises have proven time and again that elections can be won by making voters ride an illusory wave, while constructive, long-term solutions are sidelined.

A Brief Overview

Caste, religion, and money have become the tools through which moneyed elites and dynastic families have pocketed elections. For a person of integrity without strong financial backing, contesting an election is now an impossibility. Caste, in particular, is a dark stain on our elections. For those born after 1952, I wish to offer an example from that very election. In 1952, the virus of 'caste' entered our system in its seed form; it has now grown into a giant banyan tree. As all castes have become more aware and assertive, this knot has only tightened. That was the first election after independence, with Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls held simultaneously—a practice that continued until 1967, naturally reducing expenses and simplifying administration. The late Indira Gandhi broke this synergy by calling for pre-term Lok Sabha elections after an assurance was broken, and that link has remained severed ever since. In 1952, in a legislative assembly constituency in Western Maharashtra, the voters were traditionally of Congress ideology. It was the first post-independence election. But Congress made a mistake and gave its ticket to a wealthy individual from an OBC community. Naturally, the majority Maratha community was displeased. While the bugle of Congress victory blared across the country, Congress was defeated in this constituency. An independent candidate won, and never again could a candidate from another caste win there. It was only when candidates from the same dominant caste stood against each other that the one who perennially won on the caste card was defeated. Following this, all parties began considering caste-based surveys of constituencies before distributing tickets. What is this a sign of? Casteism, or inclusive development? Today, caste is considered even before party or policy. The immense influence of dynasties is also a reality. Halting this is no longer in the hands of any single party. The time has come for the Election Commission itself to take revolutionary, decisive steps that can, in one stroke, eliminate the influence of religion, caste, money, by-elections, and defections.

The Revolutionary Reforms

Elections will be held strictly every five years, with Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls conducted simultaneously.

The election will be contested

solely on the party's symbol.

There will be no candidate's name on the ballot. This will drastically reduce the influence of caste and money.

Independent candidates can contest, but they must submit an affidavit at the time of filing their nomination, declaring which party they will support upon winning. This will prevent post-election horse-trading and allow voters to cast their ballots with clarity and confidence.

Often, parties prop up an individual with strong caste-based influence as an independent. However, their votes will not be counted towards the party's total, creating a hurdle for the party in gaining official recognition. If both an independent and an official party candidate contest from the same seat and the party wins, the independent individual cannot be appointed as the representative, because the voters have rejected him in favour of the party.

The Post-Election Process

After the votes are counted, the winning party will declare who will represent that constituency. The party will submit the representative's name along with their complete details—education, assets, criminal record, etc.—to the Governor. The Governor, after due verification, will officially announce the name of the MLA or MP. If it can be proven with concrete evidence that the appointee's name was even remotely used during the campaign, they will be disqualified. This will free voters from the shackles of religion, caste, and dynasty, allowing them to vote fearlessly, prioritizing the party's ideology, policies, and program.

The Benefits

The number of seats won by a party will remain fixed for five years, ensuring overall stability. By-elections caused by death, disqualification, or resignation will be eliminated. The party can simply appoint another representative to the vacant post. Since the seat is secure, the question of defection becomes moot. Leaving or joining a party becomes an internal matter for the party, while the legislative body remains stable for five years.

Objections and Rebuttals

1. Objection:

The wealthy could "buy" a winning seat from the party by offering a hefty sum.

Rebuttal:

They already spend extravagantly to secure a ticket and then to campaign. Under this system, no one will spend lavishly on a seat with no guarantee of appointment. Furthermore, if any evidence of such a transaction surfaces, the party cannot appoint that person. This system enables the party to make an honest, diligent, but financially constrained individual an MLA or MP. Merely saying "good people should enter politics" achieves nothing. This system, however, gives parties a genuine opportunity to empower accomplished and capable individuals.

2. Objection:

The public loses the freedom to choose their candidate; they must accept whoever the party provides.

Rebuttal:

Not so. The system includes a

public vote of confidence after two and a half years.

In this mid-term review, voters will evaluate their MLA or MP. The voting process will be simple, with a green button for approval and a red button for disapproval. The government will publish a performance report of the representative, curbing the use of money. The Election Commission can keep a close watch on malpractices like cash distribution, as there is only one candidate under review. If the voters reject the party's representative, that individual will not receive a pension or any other benefits. The party will then have to thoughtfully appoint a new representative. This means that power truly remains in the hands of the voters. Currently, once you vote, you are left to watch their games for five years. This reform will compel both the party and its representative to work responsibly, as their public image will be on the line. If these changes are implemented, elections in India will truly be fought on public issues and party programs, and voters too will vote with greater consideration. This is impossible without a mass movement, as it will expose the parties. They will be forced to select candidates with integrity and implement their promises and policies decisively. In short, the five-year stability of the public mandate will ensure a stable government. Unprincipled alliances and the horse-trading of independents will cease. A special note: when a non-member becomes Chief Minister, they must get elected within six months, forcing an incumbent to resign and triggering a by-election. In our history, no Chief Minister has ever lost such a by-election. This political absurdity and wasteful expenditure will end with these reforms. Overall, this ensures voter control, a stable five-year government, and the end of by-elections. We appeal to the public to pursue these positive changes with the Election Commission.

Article by B. G. Keskar

Rural Storyteller

Keskar’s Alum

By Vitthal Wagh (Renowned Poet)

Imagine you are desperately thirsty, your soul in agony, searching for water. You finally spot some, but it is filthy, muddy, undrinkable. Then, a piece of alum is swirled within it. The sediment and filth sink to the bottom, and the water becomes as clear as a mirror. You drink it, and your restless soul finds peace and contentment. The solution I have proposed to purify our filthy, nauseating, and corrupt democracy is just like that piece of alum. Watching the same individuals, the same families, and the same parties shuffling allegiances; the shameless auction of loyalty to gain power; the plundering of wealth from that power—it induces a disgust that robs one of sleep, a mockery of democracy that is unbearable. But for the common, unthinking person, these centers of power and party politics are utterly deceptive. We are the sheep, to be herded where they please. We are auctioned off every five years for a price. The bait is caste, religion, money, and temptation. I am bound to be hooked. The sensitive soul cannot bear to watch this. It feels isolated, alone, and even broken. But then, it sees the golden dawn of transformation, awakened by a collective power. The path leading towards it, shown by Keskar through his reflections, is one that can pull us out of our state of helplessness and despair. Only by accepting and implementing these processes can the future of the common man and our democracy, now blackened by darkness, become bright again. We must lend our strength and support to these processes. Only then can our democracy, currently tethered to the whims of a handful, once again take a free breath. For guiding us, our thanks to Keskar. (This article is the translated version of the original article

कालानुरूप

निवडणूक सुधारणा

एका दृष्टिक्षेपात

written by

B. G. Keskar

published in the Sahitya Chaprak Diwali Ank 2025 ) https://youtu.be/iDs7k5iVYOw