To what extent does the level of internal democracy within political parties impact the functioning and legitimacy of the Indian party system? What reforms can address the challenges of inadequate intra-party democracy in India?
Main Body
Lack of democracy plays out as: (1) Nepotism in political ranks (2) Inadequate representation of field level workers (3) Betrayal of political elite (4) Inability to voice opinion in parliament (5) Culture of coercion of yamans preventing change led movements Yet India's system may still think in absence of intra-party democracy because: (1) Party hopping politicians have other means of expressing dissent (2) Reservations are constitutionally mandated and therefore inevitably leads to consensus (3) In places where vote caste decides your vote happens central party bands to local aspirations
Reforms for intra party democracy: (1) Compulsory women registration of 33% written party local offices too (2) Compulsory intra party elections at regular intervals (3) Max term period for President for political party (4) ECI to be empowered to cancel registration of parties not solely intend democracies NLCWFC recommends bolstering democracy by increasing the total number of women elected to LS (done through 106th CAA)
Diagram
A box highlighting 'Lack of internal democracy's effects' with two numbered points below
Rangamanju
Salient Features of the Representation of People's Act
Electoral Reforms
Intra-party democracy
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