VOTERS IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY

VOTERS IN INDIAN DEMOCRACY

RAHUL RAMYA

21.12.2023, PATNA

The Indian Constitution provides framework of Parliamentary democracy but after 76 years of parliamentary democracy we have arrived at a peculiar catch 22 situation where the Executive Government has usurped the meaning and spirit of Parliamentary democracy for its sole purpose of survival. The problem with voters in India is that they often perceive the government solely as the executive branch, neglecting the importance of the legislature and judiciary. This isn't due to a lack of knowledge, as even well-educated voters can fall prey to this misconception. Elections, in their view, are about choosing executives, not representatives to form a complete democratic government.

This misplaced perception poses a serious threat to the nation's governance. It prioritizes legality solely through the executive, excluding the legislature and checks and balances provided by the judiciary. This not only grants the executive unfettered power but also risks increasing its opacity and authoritarian tendencies over time.

Furthermore, this marginalizes the other two branches of the government, legislature and judiciary, potentially leading to a "real face-off" among them, jeopardizing the delicate balance of power essential for a healthy democracy.

Furthermore, the government's scope expands beyond the executive branch. As the legislature is the lawmaking wing, the entire legislature is inherently part of the government. Therefore, in a democratic system, even the elected opposition is considered part of the government and deserves more power than is often perceived.

The legislature has many functions, one of which is to choose an executive from among its members to manage government operations. Under this system, the executive is necessarily accountable to the entire legislature, not just the majority party.

Similarly, the judiciary is appointed to fulfill numerous functions, but its core role is to act as a check and balance mechanism, ensuring the transparency and accountability of the executive. Furthermore, the judiciary exists because of laws originating from the legislature itself. Therefore, individual judges of the higher judiciary, who are specifically entrusted with the check and balance responsibility, are accountable to the legislature for their conduct through the impeachment process.

So to make an executive government more accountable in making policies and delivering services which are the prime tasks of the executiVe Indian voters will have recognize the meaning of elections, it's value for democracy and it's role in ensuring the provisions for the public good.