NEW DELHI: Stressing the role played by Universal Adult Franchise as an agent of change in the electoral democracy, CJI DY Chandrachud on Friday said that we must reject every form of elite understanding of the democratic process that only the educated are better decision-makers.
Speaking at the 8th Dr LM Singhvi Memorial Lecture on Universal Adult Franchise: Translating India’s Political Transformation into Social Transformation, he said that individuals, whom society has despised as being uneducated, have shown tremendous political acumen and awareness of local problems, which even the educated may not understand.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar was the Chief Guest at the event. The event was also attended by SC judges, MP/MLAs, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and other legal dignitaries.
“The elite perceptions that only educated or few individuals should have the right to vote shows contempt and distrust towards democracy. Since independence, there are lakhs of examples of how individuals have used the power they received in the form of their right to vote to exercise political power beyond merely electing representatives, as they formed pressure groups and movements exerting and influencing the elected representatives to further the rights of individuals and engineer a social transformation. This is truly reflective of participative democracy,” he said.
He also said that electoral democracy has been an agent of pervasive change at the village and municipal levels.
“The reservation of seats for women and marginalized social groups in panchayats has given them the power to shape their own destinies. There are numerous examples of exemplary work done by women sarpanchs or all-women panchayats in different parts of India. This also demonstrates the bottom-top approach of governance,” the CJI said.
Also speaking at the event, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar appealed to institutions (executive, judiciary and legislature) to work in harmony and tandem for the rise of people and the country.
“Harmony is working in tandem with these institutions. All are subject to the ultimate ordinate of the people which is the Parliament. We are on a social rise and our social parameters are ascending like a plateau,” he also said.