Parties call for hybrid electoral system

BJP yet to submit views to House panel

September 11, 2017 09:31 pm | Updated November 11, 2017 05:06 pm IST - New Delhi

The panel, headed by Anand Sharma, is deliberating on electoral reforms.

The panel, headed by Anand Sharma, is deliberating on electoral reforms.

The Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India have told a Parliamentary panel that the existing first-past-the-post-system needs to be replaced with a hybrid format where elections for a small number of seats are through proportional representation.

The Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma is deliberating on electoral reforms. The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party, has neither answered the questionnaire sent by the panel nor presented its views yet. The party has thrice asked for additional time to disclose its views on the issue.

The Committee sought the views of all political parties in the backdrop of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections held in March this year where the BJP which got 39 per cent of the vote share but won 312 seats, while the Samajwadi Party with 21.8 per cent votes got 47 seats and the Bahujan Samaj Party with 22.2 per cent got 19 seats.

Two Congress representatives, Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha and former Union Minister Mukul Wasnik, who spoke at the meeting, according to sources, argued that “majority aspirations” and the “actual will of the people” is not getting reflected in election results.

Mr Tankha told the Committee that the first-past-the-post system had worked well in the beginning because there was one party, the Indian National Congress. The voting percentage was also very high. But now because of a division of votes, a party with even 20% share does not get a single seat, while a party with 28% can get disproportionately large number of seats.

“Whoever gets elected does not truly represent the majority aspirations. And a true democracy cannot exit without reflection of a majority aspirations,” he reportedly told the Committee. He also suggested a dual system where separate votes for a candidate and a party could be considered. This system is followed by various European countries. He argued that the proportional representation can be devised in different ways.

Echoing the argument, sources said Mr Wasnik also said there was a need to devise a system which will ensure that will of the people is reflected in a proper manner.

He has recommended that experiences of other countries which have been following the system of proportional representation in addition to direct election should be studied to devise an effective system.

From CPI (M), Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai appeared before the Committee. He pointed out, as per sources, in 2009 elections BJP had 18.1% vote but 116 seats in the Lok Sabha. While, in the last general elections the Congress got 19.35% votes but only 44 seats. Parties together polling almost 50% of the votes are totally excluded. This fact has been repeatedly flagged by CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury too.

Mr Pillai suggested that recommendations of the Law Commission’s 170th and 255th report should be implemented. A mix of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation should be tried. Both the reports have suggested that 25% or 136 more seats should be added to the present Lok Sabha and be filled by Proportional Representation.

K. Narayana from the CPI also recommended that a hybrid system having both proportional representation and first-past-the-post should be followed. Pointing out an interesting fact, he said no ruling party had ever got 51 per cent of the votes polled. “Minority democracy” has been ruling the country since independence, he reportedly told panel.

NCP’s Vandana Chavan told the panel that such a hybrid system will also ensure that more women find place in state assemblies and Lok Sabha.

NDA ally Lok Janshakti Party argued that the present system of election was fine and that proportional represenation was not workable as it will promote interest groups.

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