*Welcome to*
*CAMPAIGN FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS IN **INDIA** (CERI)*
*A Campaign for Proportionate Electoral System in **India*
*KERALA STATE CONFERENCE 2010*
*Venue : Renewal Centre, Kaloor, Eranakulam*
*Date : 22 and **23 May 2010*
*INVITATION*
There is a growing consensus in India that the present Majoritarian
Electoral System does not fall in line with the type of democracy that was
visualized at the time of India’s entry into a post colonial governance of
the country. Dr. B R Ambedkar himself voiced it in 1955 when he passed a
resolution to change the Electoral system of India to the one with
multimember constituency. It is common knowledge that today in India
political parties come to power with less than 30% of polled votes leaving
out a vast majority of voters unrepresented both in the State Assemblies and
in the Indian Parliament. Even in this situation the percentage of votes
that a party gains does not truly represent the number of seats that they
gain. Thus many parties in India with less percentage of votes come to power
by virtue of the number of seats that they gain. This is a virtual
democratic anomaly that we witness today. Practically this situation leaves
the doors wide open for corruption, horse-trading, communalism and
goondaism. This also results in the growing apathy of voters. More and more
voters, especially from the middle classes do not want to participate in
elections as they do not see the value of their vote in its representation.
Many countries in the world have already reformed their electoral system
towards a Proportionate electoral System which distributes seats in the
Assemblies and Parliament according to the percentage of votes that a party
gains in elections. This system also guarantees that each voter is truly
represented in the Parliament even if the candidate that he voted for does
not win elections. More and more countries are still in the process of
reforming their electoral systems so that democracy becomes more
representative of citizens. In our own doorsteps Nepal has already adapted
the Proportionate Electoral System and has set an example in Asia for a
practice of more meaningful democracy
A proportionate Electoral system in India will ensure that Dalits, Adivasis,
Minorities and Women gain representation in the State Assemblies and
Parliaments according to their proportion and need not become objects of
electoral manipulations. They will be liberated from their identity as ‘vote
banks’ and regain their citizen identity in its true sense. Such a
possibility for representation will also arrest the emergence of
fundamentalist, communal and caste forces as ruling parties through their
nefarious electoral designs.
We are all deeply aware that India has its own complexities and therefore,
will have to design a Proportionate Electoral System that will suit its
multi-ethnic and multi-cultural citizenship. The challenges are enormous.
However, in the interest of democracy these challenges have to be faced.
There are a few organizations and movement in India that focus on removing
corruption in electoral practices in the name of electoral reforms. While
such efforts are very noble and urgent there is a need to move much beyond
corruption and place electoral reforms in true democratic perspectives.
*Till now the following Programmes have already taken place in the Campaign:
*
International Conference, Bengladesh – 2008
National Conference
State Conferences in Maharashtra, Manipur, Rajasthan and Tamilnadu
A book on Theory and Praxis of Politics
CERI Day
Training for potential resource persons
Chapter of CERI started in Nepal
Karnataka Conference
International Conference, NepaL -- 2009
*Kerala Conference*
The State Conference of Kerala has been planned for 22 and 23 May 2010 at.
Renewal Centre, Kaloor, Eranakulam.
The Conference will start at 10 in the morning on 22 May and will end at
5.30 in the evening on 23 May 2010. Accommodation is arranged for those who
need to stay in Eranakulam for the night of 22 May.
*We have the pleasure of inviting you to be a part of the Kerala Conference
2010 of the Campaign for Electoral Reforms in **India**.*
The Conference aims to draw on scholarly critical analysis of the existing
First Past The Post electoral system in India, from Scholars, Intellectuals
and Political Practitioners. It will also draw on the experiences of those
sections of society who have either benefited or been deprived of due
representation in the present electoral system. There will be an input on
the models of Proportionate Electoral System as practiced in Germany, Norway,
New Zealand and Nepal.
The Conference then will move to search for an appropriate model of
Proportionate Electoral System for India
The formation of a State Campaign Committee will be once of the major tasks
of the Conference.
You may kindly confirm your participation with the following persons by
calling them in their mobile
Sasi Pandalam : 9747190346
K.K.Kochu : 9388558534
K.Sunilkumar : 9847072664
Rekha Raj : 9446202391
Thanking you in anticipation and looking forward to have a good time during
the Conference
Warm regards
K.Ambujakshan
State Coordinator CERI
BPDC, Power House Road,
Thiruvalla. Kerala.
Mobile: 9387057302, 9747555478
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ceri.in
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Green Youth Movement" group.
To post to this group, send an email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
