City democracy: Ward panels nowhere in sight

City democracy: Ward panels nowhere in sight
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Denizens of the Silicon Valley of India need to learn a lesson or two from their unlettered brethren in rural parts on how to participate in democracy.

While the average voter turnout during first phase of ongoing ZP and TP elections was reported to be about 70 per cent, in the past many villages had polled more than 80 percent.

Contrast this with the average turnout of less than 40 percent in the ward elections to Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) and you hit upon the root of the mismanagement in governance of the city that has best of brains in India residing.

And it is time to think of ways to strengthen the democratic structure in Bangalore. Though the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act provides for ward committees to enable further participation of voters in city development, it has never been taken seriously.

But even if ward committees were formed, it would not realise participatory democracy as all members are to be nominated by the government as per Section 13 of KMC Act.

On the other hand all the listed voters are the members of a Ward Sabha in a Gram Panchayat system. The Ward Sabha representatives further participate in Gram Sabha of the village and most Gram Panchayats comprise of 2-6 villages.

This enables the development to follow the demand expressed by the voter and increases accountability. A similar mechanism would bring an efficient city governance feels Ramesh Ramanathan of Janaagraha.

“Each jurisdiction of a polling station could have an area Sabha and all listed voters would be its members. Further, these area sabhas could send their representatives to Ward Sabhas.

“Instead of ward committees comprising 2-3 wards, every ward must have a Ward Sabha headed by member of civil society. The councillor should be responsible to Ward Sabha,” he said.

As the vote bank politics would direct development to select pockets of the city, this participatory model could result in equitable development and higher accountability, Ramesh added.