Date:16/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/16/stories/2008061655361000.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Electoral system

I fully agree that India needs a better electoral system (“Does India need a different electoral system?” June 13). But I feel the alternative to the existing system should address some problems besides those mentioned. Missing of names in the electoral rolls of citizens who have lived in the same house for several decades; giving the party ticket to the kin of an MP or MLA after his or her death and ensuring that he or she gets elected almost unanimously in a by-election, making a mockery of democracy; the indifference of elected representatives towards their constituencies; use of money and liquor and distribution of freebies to buy votes; mass rigging; and impersonation — these are the more serious issues which need immediate attention.

Goparaju Jayanth Kumar,

Hyderabad

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The article has rightly pointed to the highly unrepresentative nature of the simple majority system. But the single transferable vote system has its disadvantages too. In a country like India, where parties rely mostly on caste and religious arithmetic to win elections, the proposal of fielding multiple candidates from the same party may not serve any purpose. It will only split the vote and weaken the parties.

Krovvidi Chinmay,

Hyderabad

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The single transferable vote system seems to be one that will ensure a more meaningful and wider representation in Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies. But any change in the Constitution needs the approval of the MPs and MLAs and I wonder whether they will effect any change that is not beneficial to them. In the present system, the common man can do nothing more than casting his vote, which suits them. The people are for a change but are their representatives for it too?

T.R. Viswanathan,

Bangalore

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Indian conditions are not suited for a change in the electoral system. Ours is an infant democracy. The Constitution has been amended many times because its framers did not foresee many situations when they adopted it. Also, before we take a step in the direction of changing the electoral system, we must examine whether the change will stand legal scrutiny. It amounts to altering the basic structure of the Constitution which provides for the simple majority system.

Dammalapati Shyamprasad,

Guntur

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The author has suggested an alternative system that will truly represent the people’s voting preferences. There are many anomalies in the first-past-the-post system. It has been in force for six decades and has started showing deficiencies which need to be corrected.

E. Sivasankaran,

Coimbatore