General elections are expected to be announced within a couple of days. In the next 6-10 weeks over 700 million people in India will have to make up their minds about whom to vote as their representative to the Lok Sabha. That decision would surely impact India for the next five years (unless, God forbid, we end up with a situation that calls for a re-election even earlier; more on this later) and possibly set the direction for several years after that. We know how much havoc can be created in just five years, so we surely cannot afford another such five years.
Over the course of a few posts, I would like to share some thoughts on the decision problem facing us. Those of you who engage with me on Twitter or Facebook probably know where my vote is headed, but nothing is written in stone. I hope that this process of discussion will also help me either confirm my choice or make a new one. It is always good to keep an open mind, even if you are extremely committed to a philosophy / ideology. The process of inquiry can only help: if there's no change, it will reinforce your commitment; if there's a change required, it will convince you to make the shift.
The first debate / issue / question: Do I vote for my MP or do I vote for a party at the national level?
As a parliamentary democracy (following the British model), the system is that we should choose the best person to represent us at our constituency and the chosen MPs will essentially select the government / executive. Unlike the American presidential system, we do not vote for a Prime Minister or a national winning party. This is an issue that has vexed me the most. At a national level, I might support a party but when I look at their (or their ally's) candidate in my constituency, I am loathe to vote for such a person because of his/her record. I might find some other person on the ballot sheet more appealing as my MP; what should I do?
The idea of a representative democracy, unfortunately, was severely impacted by the 1985 52nd Constitutional Amendment, also known as the Anti-defection Law (see here for a good overview / analysis of the law; pdf). On all essential matters, an MP is just a representative of his/her party, with limited scope for truly representing the constituency. Therefore, when we vote for a candidate, we are actually voting for that candidate's party. Till this law is amended in some form giving MPs greater freedom in the creation of a government or the passage of laws, your vote is for a party.
So, I am going to choose a party that I support at the national level and will vote for that party's candidate in my constituency, irrespective of who he/she is. One, I hope that the party I choose will nominate a candidate that I will not mind supporting (the onus is now on that party). Two, the choice of the candidate has greater local impact in municipal and state elections; the direct impact of an MP on real micro issues is quite limited, I suspect.
PS. I wish I had (formally) studied more about politics, governance, the Constitution, etc. but I haven't... my knowledge is based on my limited, spare time readings and discussions I observe on Twitter. I am treating these blog posts as part of my learning process and look forward to comments from those who know better.