Are we right on Right to Recall?

The citizenry of Pune is deeply disappointed that Suresh Kalmadi, their representative in the Lok Sabha, has been arrested on charges of corruption by the CBI. Although Kalmadi remains innocent unless proven guilty, the demand for a Right to Recall is getting louder in this era of scams.

It will ensure that only the educated contest elections
The right to recall should be enshrined in the Constitution. If this right along with right under Section 49 (O), which allows voters to select ‘none of the above’ option while voting are used effectively, positive changes will take place and India will move ahead on the path of progress. Only educated people will stand for the election, the working class will vote as there will be people worthy of their votes and corruption will reduce. In a hypothetical case, if all people contesting elections are criminals, voters will choose the ‘none of the above’ option and the election will be recalled and only educated candidates will be contest in the elections.
RV Krishnan, president, Professionals Party of India

The right to recall will be a major electoral reform
The right to recall will be a device that provides the right to remove Members of Parliament (MPs) or Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) before the expiry of their term, if they are found to be incompetent and do not live up to people’s expectations. For enforcing accountability of public representatives, we must amend the People’s Representative Act, 1951. The Lokpal Bill is also sufficient to remove an elected representative. The accused will then be prosecuted by the law and made to vacant his position. Either the Lokpal Bill or the right to recall will be a major electoral reform.
Sureshchandra Bhosale, member, Maharashtra and Goa Bar Council

A representative should not be recalled unless 70% people vote for it
The right to recall should be included in our Constitution with certain limitations. An representative should not be recalled unless 70% people vote for it. If the person is alleged to be involved in corruption, he should not be recalled immediately, unless proven guilty. He should be tried in a fast track court and then punished accordingly. The property of those involved in scams should be confiscated and the money involved should be recovered from them.
Maruti Bhapkar, independent corporator

Voters’ recall is not conducive to the present political situation
The right to recall will discourage corruption. A progressive electorate, which actively takes part in the voting process, will bring accountability. There are chances of the right to recall being misused. Our democracy has not reached that stage of functioning where the right will be used effectively. The voters’ recall is not conducive to the present political situation because vote bank politics is prevalent on a large scale and cannot be curtailed by this mechanism.
BG Deshmukh, former Indian cabinet secretary

We need many such tools to ensure accountability
Democratic system offers many choices to its people and there have been demands to include the no-vote option on the electronic voting machine. We must have the right to reject the candidates, if we are not happy with them. There should be some mechanism to put pressure on leaders so that they give their best and be accountable. The right to recall must be included in the Constitution because we make the Constitution and have the right to change it. We need many such tools to ensure accountability.
Rakesh Ganguli, development worker

Politicians should realise that they are answerable to people
We are not a matured democracy to have the right to recall. Every MP is involved in some kind of corruption. Corruption among the representatives is so pervasive that there might be only a few who are clean. As citizens, we hardly have a choice to fight corruption in politics. These politicians should realise that they are answerable to people. Instead of the right to recall, we should have elections funded by the state and reform the election process.
Maj Gen (retd) SCN Jatar, president, Nagrik Chetna Manch