Formation of new Government in the State continues with unprecedented stalemate owing to fractured verdict of the electorate. Result of polls was announced on 23rd December and the stakeholders are busy in cutting deals if they can. This situation had never happened in previous elections but this being the harsh reality, a solution has to be found. Curiously during election campaigning, almost all major political parties, while announcing their respective agenda, one and all laid emphasis on some programmes that now appear to be common to all of them. For example, good governance and corruption-less administration had become the oft repeated slogan and voters were impressed by the commitment made by the leadership of these parties. Now assuming that new dispensation will be in place sooner or later, the main question for the new dispensation will be whether it will be able to translate the slogans like good governance, corruption-less administration, accountability etc. into practice? There are severe obstacles in the way and these cannot be wished away.
A democratic system actually runs through democratic institutions and the State builds these institutions after prolonged effort and going through a tortuous process of legislation or administrative labyrinths. The purpose of incepting the institutions is to make the running of administration not only smooth and rapid but also fair and just. What obtains at the moment is that these institutions of vital importance have almost become either defunct or dormant. No new dispensation can imagine of delivering good governance as long as these institutions are not revived and made functional to full capacity. Be it the “inspirational agenda” or a “vision document” they have to reckon with hard facts on the ground. Therefore, the task before the new dispensation will be to revive these institutions and infuse them with vibrating life and movement. Municipal Corporations and Municipal Committees are among the fundamental pre-requisites of a democratic dispensation where people’s participation in governance is significantly reflected. In our State elections to these bodies have not been held since 2010. Now, if these grass root democratic institutions are made defunct or dormant, the task of good governance is relegated to back burner and before anything else, the new dispensation shall have to arrange elections to these bodies so that people’s representatives are able to identify the areas that need the attention of the Government. Likewise, Panchayat Raj system was announced with great fanfare in the State and election of Sarpanchs and Panchs was undertaken notwithstanding the threats and intimidation extended to them. But the entire process has been left halfway and the second and third tier of elections that would have brought the entire process to full circle, are still left in suspense. Block Development Councils and District Development and Planning Board elections are integral to the entire scheme of Panchayati Raj and these have been left in a state of stalemate. Unless elections to these bodies are held, Panchayati Raj system will be the lame system unable to deliver goods. The question of fully empowering the Panchayats is still debated at planning level and their financial empowerment remains undecided.
We will also need to talk about other important institutions like the State Finance Commission and State Accountability Commission. The Finance Commission which is supposed to overlook financial aspects of urban local bodies and PRIs has not become functional nor has it made any specific references to various issues related to financial aspects of the State. The State Accountability Commission is yet to open its account. It needs to be infused with new blood so that it contributes to good governance concept. How can things be improved if there is no accountability for misuse of power and authority by the persons concerned? The real reason for our failure to make good governance as pivotal policy is the absence of accountability in our institutions. Again Public Service Commission is another very important and crucial democratic institution which is responsible for recruiting meritorious persons for administrative jobs in the State. This Commission is also dysfunctional because neither Chairman nor Members have been appointed.
In short what we mean to say is that the new dispensation has to do so many preliminary things before it can settle down to tackle the issues of good governance and eradication of corruption. In fact many of democratic institutions in the state have to be revived and brought to active life before any plan for good governance is floated.
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