बेबाक · Editorial
815ଟି ଆସନରେ ଲୋକସଭା, ଏବଂ ଦଳବଦଳ ଆଇନର ଅର୍ଥ ହେଉଛି ଜନାଦେଶର ସୁରକ୍ଷା କରିବା।
ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନର ସଦସ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ଏକ ଗୋଷ୍ଠୀ, ଏନ. ସି. ପି. ଆଇ. ସହିତ ଏକ ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବିତ ମିଶ୍ରଣ ଯାହା ଅଯୋଗ୍ୟତା ରାୟକୁ ଆଗୁଆ ରୋକି ପାରିବ, ଏବଂ ଲୋକସଭାକୁ 543 ରୁ 815 ଟି ଆସନକୁ ବୃଦ୍ଧି କରିବାର ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବ ଗଣତନ୍ତ୍ରର ଯନ୍ତ୍ରପାତି ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରେ |
ଗୋଟିଏ ବ୍ଲକ ଆକାର ନେଇଥାଏ
ଗୋଟିଏ ସପ୍ତାହାନ୍ତରେ, ଟିଏମସିର ଲୋକସଭା ସଦସ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଏକ ଦଳ
The Mandate Versus the Member
At the heart of this lies a question older than any government: to whom does a legislator's vote belong? An elector marks a ballot for a candidate, but also for a programme and a symbol; the anti-defection framework exists so members cannot casually transfer that mandate mid-term. Yet reporting suggests a merger with NCPI may allow the breakaway group to vote in the Lok Sabha before any ruling on disqualification is delivered. That sequence risks inverting the safeguard: the protection against floor-crossing can become the route through which floor-crossing is consummated. The constitutional referee here is the Office of the Speaker, whose duty to decide disqualification questions fairly, and without avoidable delay, now sits at the centre of public trust.
Two Honest Cases
Fairness requires stating each case at its strongest. A legislator is not a serf: party whips can be captured by a coterie, and a member's reading of conscience or constituency may legitimately diverge from a high command. Representative democracy must leave room for dissent, even dramatic dissent, or it ossifies into mere obedience. Against this stands an equally serious claim: voters chose a platform, not a free agent, and a mandate transferred wholesale to the other side without returning to the electorate is a mandate hollowed out, however lawful the device. Both propositions are true at once. The way to honour the first without licensing the second is procedure that is open, reasoned and timely, not a race between a merger filing and a disqualification hearing settled by whoever moves faster.
What the Record Shows
Consider the specifics already on record. The proposal in circulation would raise the Lok Sabha from 543 to 815 seats, with delimitation based on the 2011 decennial census, a generational redrawing of political power that demands the widest legitimacy, not the narrowest majority. The enabling votes are being assembled now, with the bloc counted in reports at 20 of 29 or 22 members and linked to support for the NDA before the monsoon session. Meanwhile electoral integrity has taken a literal hit: a fire in a Kolkata government building gutted 4,000 EVMs and VVPATs, and doubts have been raised. And a deferred civic vote, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation election expected by December 7 after ward delimitation, is a reminder that elections postponed are accountability postponed.
Process, Not Theatre
A caution cuts the other way too. Claims of defection, rival blocs and future alignments are politically charged and, in parts, contested; the count itself wavers between 20 and 22. Such disputes should not be settled by rhetoric or television arithmetic, nor should an editorial pre-judge them. The remedy is not louder assertion but visible process. The Office of the Speaker must apply the law transparently, without haste designed to help one side or delay designed to help another. The Election Commission and state authorities should explain how voting machines lost to fire are accounted for and replaced. Municipal delimitation should be accompanied by public records sufficient for citizens to understand the changes. Public confidence grows when institutions speak through records and orders, not through selective silence and anonymous briefing.
A Way That Holds
The verdict is not partisan; it is institutional. A redrawing of the Lok Sabha to 815 seats is a once-in-a-generation act, and it must not ride on votes gathered through a merger timed to outrun a disqualification ruling. Three correctives follow. The Office of the Speaker should decide any disqualification questions within a public timeframe, with reasons, before such members vote on a House-altering measure. The Election Commission and state authorities should account for the 4,000 EVMs and VVPATs gutted in the Kolkata fire. Overdue local elections, beginning with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation poll, should be held on the promised schedule after delimitation. And any expansion of the House must clear full committee scrutiny and genuine federal consultation. Strengthen the procedure, and the arithmetic must earn its legitimacy honestly.
815 ଟି ଆସନ ପାଇଁ ଲୋକସଭାର ପୁନଃ ଚିତ୍ରଣ ଏକ ଅଯୋଗ୍ୟତା ରାୟକୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଏକ ମିଶ୍ରଣ ସମୟ ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ସଂଗୃହିତ ଭୋଟ୍ ଉପରେ ନିର୍ଭର କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ |
At stake is whether representation, electoral equality, public trust in election administration, and citizens' right to know are protected before a House-altering vote.
Pre-Vote Mandate Safeguard
Parliament should amend the Lok Sabha Rules to require the Speaker to decide, by a reasoned public order, any pending defection or merger claim involving members whose votes may affect a delimitation or seat-expansion Bill before that Bill is put to vote. Until that decision, such members may debate and dissent, but their votes on that specific House-altering measure should be held in a sealed, separately recorded category subject to the Speaker’s ruling and prompt judicial review.
ଆପଣଙ୍କର ସାମ୍ବିଧାନିକ ଅଧିକାର
ଏହି କାହାଣୀରେ ସମ୍ବିଧାନ କ "ଣ ଗ୍ୟାରେଣ୍ଟି ଦେଉଛି?Superintendence, direction and control of elections vests in an independent Election Commission of India.
ConstitutionalEvery citizen aged 18 or above has the right to vote, regardless of wealth, status, gender or education.
ConstitutionalEvery citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression — including a free press and the right to know — subject only to the reasonable restrictions in Article 19(2).
Fundamental RightThe State shall not deny any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. Like must be treated alike; the law cannot be arbitrary.
Fundamental RightWhat this editorial rests on
Drawn from our live multi-newsroom feed — read the reporting at source.
ଆନ୍ଦୋଳନରେ ସାମିଲ ହୁଅନ୍ତୁ।
ଗୋଟିଏ ସମୟରେ ଗୋଟିଏ ନିର୍ଭୀକ ସମ୍ପାଦକୀୟ-ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଭାଷାରେ। ଏହା ସହିତ ସାମ୍ବିଧାନିକ ଅନୁରୋଧ ଯାହା ଅନୁସରଣ କରିବା ଆବଶ୍ୟକ |
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