Make parties accountable for implementing manifestos: CJI

The Chief Justice of India (CJI), JS Khehar on Saturday slammed political parties for treating manifestos as mere pieces of paper, and called for making them accountable.

"Electoral promises routinely remain unfulfilled. The reason for this gap between electoral promise and its fulfillment does not become an electoral issue," the CJI said at a seminar on 'Economic Reforms With Reference To Electoral Issues' here.

Taking a strong stand against the current practice of electioneering by major political parties, the CJI said that religion instead of social reforms has taken centre stage during poll campaigning. Mentioning the electoral manifestos released by two major political parties during the 2014 general elections, the CJI said though promises were made for a strong economic growth, they lacked "constitutional goal of socio-economic justice."

"Caste issues are projected in different ways, to ensure a majority in each constituency. No consequences occur, whether promises are fulfilled or not. Every political party brazenly finds an excuse for not reaching consensus amongst allied partners," he added in his most scathing attack since he assumed office earlier this year.

The CJI said that "even our legal system, provides for no consequences to be suffered by political parties, if promises made in manifestos are not fulfilled."

According to the guidelines issues by the Election Commission, parties are urged to avoid making promises that cannot be fulfilled to seek votes.

Chief Justice Khehar said that in a democratic system based on political parties, it was "difficult to uphold the principle of free and fair elections if the financing and economy of political parties, are not known to the voters."

The CJI also spoke at length on social issues plaguing our society. He spoke of the plight of Dalits, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, women as well as children who are forced to work due to financial compulsions. He added that it was necessary to bring about a synergy between the social, economic and political measures with the ground realities of life.

Echoing the sentiments of the CJI, Justice Dipak Misra called for decriminalisation of politics. He underlined the need for "free and fair elections" since it was "imperative for the growth of a healthy democracy." Justice Misra also called for the need for "economic unity."

Invoking Winston Churchill's quote, "At the bottom of all tributes paid to democracy is the little man, walking into a little booth, with a little pencil, making a little cross, on a little bit of paper - no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can possibly diminish the overwhelming importance of the point," Justice Misra and the CJI spoke off the "power of the little voter."

President Pranab Mukherjee and Senior Advocate Harish Salve also spoke on day one of the two-day seminar organised by the Confederation of the Bar at the Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital.

President Mukherjee advocated the need for strong electoral reforms to strengthen the democratic process. He said, it was time the country relooked at legal provisions to increase the number of parliamentary seats.

"Chief Justice of India very emphatically and relevantly pointed out accountability, but the system of parliamentary governance is such that if somebody gets 51 (majority) out of 100, 51 has all the rights and authority and in our electoral process, less than 51 have all the rights and authorities but no responsibility," President Mukherjee said.

Talking about the inadequacies of the parliamentary system, the President said though political parties with less number of seats enjoyed equal rights and authority with those in power, they had "no responsibility".

"A strong electoral system and timely reforms are necessary to strengthen the democratic structure of India. Timely reforms are necessary which not only would give justice to people but also to the ideals enshrined in the Constitution of India," the President added stressing on reforms.