Sanasdeeya Pranali

99% of our MLAs are elected by a minority of voters, many of whom win just 15-20% of the votes casta mere 4-6% of the population. So, how representative is our parliamentary system? With 39 parties in the Lok Sabha, and a government consisting of 14 parties, is this system delivering the strong, cohesive, and effective governments our country needs? Is this system placing power in the hands of individuals who possess the capacity, dedication, and integrity to run ministries, assess legislative proposals, and evaluate alternative policies? Or is it bringing the worst of the worst into the legislature and government? When in power, does it motivate them to do good for the people, or does it tell them that performance doesnt matter, that maintaining coalitions is a substitute for performance? Does this not make confrontational and obstructionist politics inevitable? How much worship of governance must we endure before we conclude that this systems time is up, that we must create an alternative? What might that alternative be? What happens when these legislators claim sovereignty and appropriate it for themselves? Isnt the bulwark erected by the judiciarythat the Constitutions basic structure cannot be altereda necessary safeguard against the political class? But can an alternative system be devised that wont breach or violate this essential bulwark? Who will pave the way for that alternative? Who will lead it? Arun Shourie raises these questions and more in this scorching critique. Essential for our times. Essential for the resilience of our nation.