Reforms needed in Presidential election system

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SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

01 May, 2011

It is also important that the upper houses in the state legislatures should be abolished as these merely serve as white elephants and are used by political parties to rehabilitate redundant politicians as well as to reward the favourites.

INDIA IS set to elect a new President in the year 2012. Some basic procedural changes in the system of election to posts of President and Vice President are of utmost importance. The Prime Minister should in larger national perspective initiate a healthy tradition to pick candidates for top posts of President and Vice President in consensus with the Opposition-Leader. Persons once occupying posts of President or Vice Presidents (and even state-governors) must not be allowed to take part in active politics for rest of their lives. In case of violation, all their post-retirement benefits may be abolished forever.

Lok Sabha has practically more active role to play in legislation rather than Rajya Sabha. For reasons of impartiality and also protocol, country should have a post of second Vice President to chair Lok Sabha. Elections to posts of two Vice Presidents may be held simultaneously with President in the same manner as President is elected by all MPs and MLAs. In case of vacancy at the post of President, senior Vice President may be made President for rest of the term. In case of a mid-term vacancy for the post of a Vice President, an interim Vice President may be elected by MPs only for rest of the term.

In rare cases of none of the three regularly-elected persons as President and two Vice Presidents being available for the post of President, fresh regular elections for all the three posts may be held together, without waiting for completion of term. One of the three posts should be reserved for women.