I am Humble Citizen (With No Voice)

Amidst the recent uproar and candle-light marches for Anti-corruption in India’, I maybe a humble citizen with almost no voice yet I like to say a few things to the committee setup for Lokpal Bill and government.

If we look at the key issues that led to the movement, they are:

1. Politicians and bureaucrats misuse their power and primarily involve with act of bribery. A major portion of which goes into their own pocket through ‘International banking accounts’.
2. Politicians involved within scam or other corrupted practices, enter into the election fray, unless they are declared ‘guilty’ by the court of law. 
3. Our court practices or judicial system is cumbersome and articulate which invariable lessen the effect of ‘being punished’ if people are found to be involved in corruption. 
4. What makes the system fail is largely the association of investigating agencies and committees setup the government which are either ‘hand-in-glove’ or ‘feeble’ to act bravely and honestly.
5. Punishment orders sanctioned under the court of law either fee-penalty or years of bail able imprisonments.

So, although we claim to be the largest democratic nation we are prey to authoritarian cudgels. The reason, I can’t support for a negative voting, as many have said is because it involves ‘extra cost to the country’ and ‘a debatable issue’ for when to conduct a negative vote. Therefore, what remains to us are few of the options:

• A parallel process of top-down and bottom-up system should be taken into consideration. Receiving bribe, if considered as a crime, it is equivalent to offer a crime. Thus, government also has the equal right to maintain a check-and-balance. It also instills a fear among the commoners to offer bribe and get prosecuted. 
• Individuals with criminal or corrupt records, even if not prosecuted or found guilty under the court of law, should not have right-to-vote and right-to-elected. Information about MLAs, MLCs, and MPs should be available over the public domain to review prior to each parliamentary session. 
• Special fast-track courts should be setup to try the cases with information available to the public to monitor and review the court proceedings. The investigative bodies should be independent and free to submit their report without any sanctions from Law Ministry. Rather, President or Vice President of the country could have a ruling on the same.
• Individuals found to be guilty in the cases, should be punished heavily with both fee-penalty and years of imprisonments. Additionally, the scammed amount should be confiscated by selling the properties of accused and his/ her family members (who are indirectly benefitted) and return to the Treasury.
• Importantly, the committees entrusted to look upon the cases should be accountable and free to act independently reporting directly under the supervision of President or the Vice President of the country.
• Transparency is important to eradicate ‘corruption’ from the civil society. Secrecy within a business and the failure to disclose important information about specific projects can facilitate the payment, receipt and concealment of bribes. Given the challenges posed by distance and unfamiliarity with overseas customs and regulations, businesses may wish to consider how to monitor the implementation of anti-bribery procedures in overseas offices and business partners.
• A review committee or President should be made accountable to inspect and verify the sanctity of the commission and its weekly proceedings. An independent review committee overlooking the Investigating Commission and Personnel can be helpful in providing agencies undergoing structural change, or accessing records, with an insight into the strengths and weaknesses of its anti-bribery policies and procedures and in identifying areas for improvement.

It’s hard to claim to be honest but trying to be one can be beginning step.