Qualifications for the Elected Representatives of the People in a Democracy

Association of Premier State Colleges Seniors *

Oath Taking ceremony of elected members of 6th Autonomous District Councils :: June 2010

Qualifications for the Elected Representatives of the People in a Democracy and Introduction of a Home Assembly in each Constituency Questionnaires to be Answered by the Ex-MLAs/Ex-MPs/Ministers so that Information can be Collected from the Answers

Personal Data:

(a)Name:….………………………………………………
(b) Age: ……………………...........................................
(c)Address:(Permanent)……………………...….…..…
(Present)……………………………………….......…….
(d) Phone: ……………………………………………….
(e) E-mail add.: ……………………………....………….
(f) Name of the Constituency:...……….………………
List of questions to be answered:

1. (a) Name of the Constituency you represented:………….…………………….....................…………
(b) Year of election: 1st time:
2nd time:
3rd time:

(c) On the ticket of which party or otherwise: …………………..……………………….........................…..

(d) Age when elected for the first time: …………………....................................................................

2. Are you still in the party? Yes/No Since when? …………………….. In the case of leaving the party, the ground(s) are …………………….………….. ....

3. Any new political party you joined next: ……………………………………......…………....................

4. Are you still desirous of contesting in the election or not? ……………. If yes, on the ticket of which party or as an independent candidate? …………………………. If retired from politics what have you been doing? ……………………………………………..............................

5. Your experience as an MLA/MP:
1st time:……………………………………………….…..
2nd time: …………………..………………………….…..
3rd time: ……………………………………………….…..

6. Were you ever a Minister of
(a) State: name(s) of the portfolio(s) held ……….........
(b) Cabinet: name(s) of the portfolio(s) held……………………………………............... ..................

7. Remarkable achievement if any during your tenure:
(a) as MLA/MP: …………………………………………
(b) as Minister: …………………………………………..

8. Did you ever convene public meeting of your constituency as an MLA/MP to ascertain their views or to seek their approval on your views?...................................

9. Did you ever consult with elders and intellectuals of your Constituency on momentous issues concerning your Constituency/the State/Nation? .…………………

10. As a Minister did you ever arrange meeting/seminars/symposium to evolve State/National policies in the subject?...................................................................................

11. Were you aware of your Constituency’s statistical information on various subjects of information like population, social and economic structure, employment etc.? ………………………………....……………………….

12. Did you open your office in the Constituency to sit there and hear the grievances of the people? ……………………….....................…………………………………………………...

13. Did you ever occupy any Government Quarters other than during Assembly/Parliament session? Yes/No

14. (a) Did you study the Assembly/Parliament Proceedings? Recollect any outstanding comments you made……………………………………………………………
(b) Related books/journals? ………………………………

15. Did you ever attend any State level/National level/International level conference(s) or make tours outside the State or country?.............................................................................................

16. (a) Your educational qualification? .……………….

(b) Name of the languages you know/speak/write? …………………………………………………………….. .

17. Did you ever publish any article based on your experience as a representative of the constituency in the local paper/national paper?

18. Did you ever write books on your experience or are you thinking of writing to guide the present MLAs /MPs/Ministers in practicing the democratic norms?

19. Do you have any suggestion(s)/recommendation(s) for the development of your constituency in particular and the state/country in general?.........................................................................................

20. Give reason(s) of your success or failure: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

21. What is your message to the people of your land? ………………………………………………...............

There is a suggestion from the side of the APSCS that some certain qualifications should be set for the candidate to become a democratically elected national/state legislature and that each and every constituency should have a Home Assembly of its own apart from the state legislative assembly to bring forth a qualitative change in practicing Democracy in the country.

In this direction the Association had submitted a memorandum each to the President and the Prime Minister of India during their individual visits in the State in 2006 and 2007 respectively. The suggestion was also made in its representation submitted to the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission of India in the year 2007. The idea was set in motion with the conduct of the debating competitions at the Higher Secondary level in the year 2008 and College and University level in 2009.

“Setting of qualification is demanded of an elected representative of the people in a Democracy” was the topic. In both, who support the motion won the first prizes. The press release of the APSCS under the head “Setting of qualification is demanded of an elected representative of the people in a Democracy and a Home Assembly in each constituency” issued on 12th April 2009 was also in support of the idea. The Association’s recent interaction programme launched at Kakching on 17th July 2011 was however, the first public contact programme in this direction.

Concept of a Home Assembly:

It is an idea or a thought or suggestion especially about what to do in a particular situation where in, we the people find ourselves without any significant role to play in our own affairs in the absence of the necessary mechanism that would ensure people’s participation in government and politics. This led to the conceptualization of the Home Assembly. Surely the Home Assembly will become very soon the bedrock of democracy as it will be the structural and functional unit of the Government in a Democracy.

The introduction of a Home Assembly in each Assembly Constituency will open a new chapter in the history of Democratic functioning. Ventilation of public grievances and open discussions in the matter pertaining to public interest in the Home Assembly will alone help vibrant working of Democracy which we have not yet tasted so far.

Confining at the state/national capital by the elected representatives away from their Home Constituencies busying themselves elsewhere that often made them oblivious of the representative feature - a prerequisite of popular government simply arrests the functioning and progress of Democracy. We have seen this phenomenon in the last more than six decades of the working of democracy in this country. They often forget that people is the master in a democratic system of running the Government.

Electorates have the inherent power to give individual/group opinion on issues pertaining to the Home Constituency/the State and the Nation over and above the election of their representatives.

What is your comment on this suggestion?……………………..…………………………………..

Date:

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