The discussion has started once again on making the election manifestos issued by the political parties binding. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said the issue of making election manifestos binding on parties should be seriously considered by all political parties. At the same time, they should make a consensus in the interest of the country.
The matter of making political parties accountable to election promises and regulating manifestos has also gone to the courts from time to time. Hearing a similar case recently, the Allahabad High Court, in an order, held that the election manifesto of political parties is a statement of their policy, vision, promises and pledges during elections, which is not binding and can be passed through the courts. cannot be applied.
However, the Election Commission has tried to follow it. The manifesto released by the AIADMK for the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2016 was censored for failing to provide reasonable financial arrangements and means to fulfill the election promises made in it. Not only this, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice had recommended that the Model Code of Conduct be made legally binding.
It should be made a part of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Such measures will increase the powers of the Election Commission and create fear among political parties of not making hollow promises in their election manifestos. For two decades, the promise of women’s reservation in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies is prominent in the manifestos of almost all political parties. But after the formation of the government, this matter has been kept in cold storage.
Naidu made this suggestion in the Rajya Sabha when Manoj Kumar Jha of Rashtriya Janata Dal raised the issue of losing relevance of election manifestos during Zero Hour. He said that the seriousness which should be in the political parties regarding the manifestos, there is a steady decline in it. Jha said that in the elections of 1952, 1957 and 1962, be it Jana Sangh or Congress, Communist Party or Socialist Party, only those things which were possible, used to include them in their manifestos and discussed it. . Jha said that I urge all the parties and also the government to sit collectively once and develop a method so that a positive agenda comes in the central discourse of the election. Not things that build up walls of hatred.
Taking the issue seriously, Naidu also sought their suggestions from some members. He also sought the opinion of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on the possibility of making the election manifesto legally binding. In response, Deve Gowda said that in his view this issue should be seriously considered. Meanwhile, a member asked Naidu to ask the government for its opinion.
On this Naidu asked the member that if the government is ready, then you will also be ready? Naidu said that political parties should meet and think seriously about this and then move forward in the interest of the country. He said that the issue raised here is a real issue and also important.