It is interesting to see how an American system of checks and balance is not allowing Trump to do what he wishes to do on the other hand in India BJP is free to do whatever it wants. His irrational policies are stalled by the checks and balance. Though he is the Commander in Chief of USA, various checks and balances his whims and fancies and forces him to think, rethink, and un-think some of the policies in his mind. The way the power is distributed in the USA is interesting to study where the Supreme Court of USA act as the third chamber and powerful entity. The founding fathers of America thought a lot on one person controlling the fate of all the citizens. They were after all fighting monarchy and concentration of power in the hands of the King of Britain.

But the people cannot rule directly and it is not that the will of all the citizens can be exercised through one person, however great they are. Therefore, the power holders are accountable to the people. One of the mechanisms to hold the power holders accountable is the periodic election and elections decide who would be in power.

In India, like the USA, the ultimate power is with the people who have constituted this republic.

However, it seems that the electoral system of electing in both USA and India are faulty unless it is combined with the system of proportionate representation. The goal that will be desirable to achieve so that the will of different people will be represented in the Government. The seats must be decided also on the basis of the votes pulled by the political parties. The first-past-the-post system is not workable for forming a really democratic society.

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In India, the important laws must be passed in both the houses of the Parliament and some important amendments also need the consent of the state assemblies. There is larger check and balance in India and though the Prime Minister is the primes among equals have many checks and balances. In short, he is accountable to the people and the people need to know what is being proposed to enforced through the laws.

In the ideal democracy, all the people will be able to participate in the discussion or to share some views or even vote in direct democracies. India is too big and not technologically advanced to ensure direct democracy, but maybe one day we will be there.

Only the money bills can be passed in the Lok Sabha, but they also need to be discussed in Rajyasabha though the suggestions are not obligatory on the Lok Sabha. The BJP government murdered democracy by passing many acts in the guise of money bill which has implications on many acts which are subjected to be discussed in Rajya Sabha. And some of the provisions in the Finance Bill are just crazy enough as they club incoherent policies.

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The BJP is having a massive majority in the Lok Sabha and in Rajya Sabha it is still in the minority which will change in 2018, but before that the BJP is becoming impatient to force draconian laws on Indians. It is already becoming financially bigger with the Finance Bill of 2017 by ensuring that the funds will flow directly into its coffers. The citizens must wake up before the RSS/BJP starts getting into their private lives and control their lifestyle. The signs of it are already visible after Mr. Yogi became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Author – Mangesh Dahiwale