Usually a senior member of the party is appointed whip to hold legislators to the party line. A legislator cannot disobey the whip without the fear of sanction under the anti-defection law. The result is that legislators always fall in line and vote the party position without opposition. At best, they may abstain from voting.
Votes of individual members are only recorded if any member asks for a division, i. The consequence is that constituents of a legislator cannot easily find the voting record of their elected representatives to hold them accountable.
The absence of voting records and the presence of an official whip create perverse incentives. This has encouraged a centralized and anti-democratic culture in our parliament and legislative assemblies, and within individual parties. The whips of major parties are the most politically influential people in India. Yet, no one asks a whip for a press conference or for an explanation of how the whip arrived at a particular position.
The whip serves the leader of the party, and in the case of a single party government, the prime minister. While one hears reports of opposition within the BJP on demonetization and GST, there is no official record of this dissent, and there is no debate within the party on the floor of the house.
The purpose of the anti-defection law is to provide a stable government by preventing horse-trading. But in the process, it has suppressed parliamentary speech, debate and dissent, and severely restricted legislators from voting in line with their constituents. In an ideal world, the 52nd amendment would be deleted, and parliamentary freedom reinstated.
However, the political incentives to do so are extremely weak. No party whip would allow members to vote for a repeal. Every party hopes to form the government and, when it does, the constitutionally mandated whip helps pass the legislative agenda.
So, our next best hope is coalition governments. Coalition partners can prevent surprise moves like demonetization, which hurt most Indians. Coalition governments may prevent good reform, but, by the same principle, also prevent badly crafted ideas rammed down by a strong executive. To rein in the next set of policy disasters, we must hope that no single party gets a majority. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! It'll just take a moment.
Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image. You are now subscribed to our newsletters. The Not-So-United Kingdom. Read More. Understanding the Syrian Conflict. Top 6 ways to ace your TSA. Our Oxbridge-graduate consultants are available between 9.
Recently Updated Blogs blog Essential Tips for Oxbridge Interviews Fingers crossed…for the arrival of your invitation to interview As December approaches, news on whether students have reached the interview stage will arrive shortly.
If you still…. In our current education system, students are trained to become masters at the written examination, but, with perhaps the exception of oral examinations for Modern Languages, interview-style examinations…. Now what? Read on to find out what it takes to apply.
Test Mock Choosing A College. A Slippery Question? About us. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.
However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Cookie Settings Accept All. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website.
These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Necessary Necessary. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It does not store any personal data. Functional Functional. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance Performance. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
0コメント