Selectorial Democracy

Think India and the image that immediately comes to mind is that of chaos and poverty, with the odd economic success stories shining like tinsel on tattered rags. Sixty years of the current form of democracy has failed India's poor millions miserably who still languish in extreme poverty unchanged since 1947. Sixty years and this form of democracy has failed to provide the requisite leadership necessary for economic development and upliftment of the masses. Indians die silently by an unresponsive democratic system due to hunger, malnutrition and poverty related diseases. This unresponsive democratic structure continues with its silent deathly harvest. Millions of children die of malnutrition or want of medicines. Millions die at birth or in the womb for want of minor medical care due to poverty. Of what use to them has been this democratic variant? All this goes unreported, because it does not make sensational news, nor provides the visuals like the Bluelines do for the TV channels, nor is any government willing to publicise this abject failure. Sixty years of experimentation with this variant of democracy has been more than enough. It is time that our form of governance be reviewed and correctives applied - just like any other concern, which is failing to deliver.

The failure of leadership is just not the failure of individuals, but a failure of the system to make the optional choice. Electoral democracy, whereby every adult, irrespective of his ability to make an informed choice, has one vote and elects the executive and legislature, has failed miserably to elect leadership that can resolve the problems of the day. The current democratic structure is not that for the people, by the people or of the people. It cannot be. It is instead a government for vested interests, by vested interests and of vested interests.

What is needed is a new variant of democracy, which retains popular will but includes the advances made in education, science and technology so that the correct leadership is chosen. What is needed is 'thinking out of the box' and the application of the advances made by humankind in the last sixty years to the structure of governance, which were unavailable to our founding fathers.

The ills of all nations can be resolved by 'Selectorial Democracy' as opposed to 'Electoral Democracy'. All citizens will have the vote. They will however not elect the executive, just like the third arm of governance, the judiciary, which is not elected by the masses, but selected from a panel of skilled professionals by those elected by the masses. In 'Selectorial Democracy' the masses will elect the legislature from a panel of skilled professionals selected by a Supercomputer, which will have the names, qualifications, experience of those willing to participate in the process of governance fed into its data bank, taking into account regional, demographic, geographic and linguistic constraints and suitable software developed with the various criteria for selection by the Supercomputer. Technological advances have made it possible for every capable Indian to participate in Nation building. The Legislature of skilled experts will then form the Electoral College that elects the President from a similar panel of experts provided by the Supercomputer. The President can then select his cabinet from the elected skilled legislatures, similar to the American Presidential form of government, unlike today where politicians with no skills other than self-aggrandizement and deception are selected to run highly specialized departments. This system has the added benefit of doing away with the current requirement of astronomical black money electoral funds, the root of all corruption. Educated professionals have the requisite intelligence, expertise and experience to focus on problems and find its solutions, unlike the current breed of ignorants elected by the more ignorants. The progress we have witnessed post liberalisation is also a result of professionalism and expertise made use of by our industries, businesses and individuals.

Crusade India, an NGO headed by Mr. K C Agrawal has taken upon itself the task of mobilizing public opinion in favour of 'Selectorial Democracy'. A thoroughly researched and revolutionary book titled 'Crusade India', written by Mr. K C Agrawal, a technocrat industrialist, has taken into account the causes of failure and the way out, and enumerates the system of 'Selectorial Democracy' in minute detail. All road maps and blueprints to absolute prosperity have been distinctly deciphered in the book and so also the management charts to achieve the desired level of prosperity and strength with a time bound schedule. Crusade India is planning to launch a PIL for the requisite change in the system.