Debate on poll reforms

There are no two opinions that we need a stable Parliament for the effective functioning of democracy (Mr Sumer Kaul's "Debate on poll reforms", May 31). The first casualty of unstable governments is efficient governance. Democracy is based on the principle of government with the consent of the governed, and the electorate exercise their choice periodically.If the Lok Sabha once reposes confidence in the Council of Ministers it would not violate the spirit of democracy if they are barred from withdrawing their confidence for a specific period, say two or three years. After all, the ultimate sovereign, the people, having elected their representatives have no choice but to keep quiet for five years. Why then should their representatives, be given the right to recall?

Another method of providing a stable government, as suggested by the author, is the German system. There the Bundestag — Parliament — is not subject to premature dissolution as is possible in India. However, unlike in India, where the government can be removed by a vote of no-confidence because of the collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha, in Germany the government can be removed by members of Bundestag by reposing confidence in the contender.

This has several advantages. Firstly, there is no uncertainty about who will be the head of the government. The country will always have a Prime Minister who enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha. In our system when the government falls and there is a hung Parliament and a lame-duck Prime Minister the country remains without an effective government.

The last Lok Sabha elections cost the exchequer about Rs 800 crore and the forthcoming ones are expected to cost much more. All this money ultimately comes from people's pockets. A country where indirect taxes amount to 80 per cent of the revenue and money bags who give money to political parties, either white or black, do not give it from their pockets but recover them by increasing prices. The ultimate burden of elections falls on the people. It is the poor who suffer most when premature elections are imposed on them for no fault of theirs.

There is no certainty that the next poll results will be any different. Undoubtedly the President has to exercise his discretion in accordance with the given situation. He can follow the conventions and at the same time will be well within his rights to lay down a new precedent.

K.M. VASHISHT
Mansa

The Kargil saga

The Kargil saga — why did it happen? There is only one plausible explanation. This year the snows in that area melted a month early. Whereas Pakistan took full advantage of this and rushed in to occupy our pickets, we remained complacent about it, with the fixed official date for the snows to melt.

When I was commanding a unit in that area some 40 years ago, winter set in a month earlier. I ordered winter clothing, rations and heating equipment to be issued immediately. A month later there was an audit objection against me, for issuing all this before the laid down official date when winter had to set in.

The time has come when Kashmir has to be the number one item on the agenda of any discussion between India and Pakistan. Otherwise we will have to contend with the Kargil kind of incidences for years to come, even if the snows melt on time.

Brig N.B. GRANT (retd)
Pune

Diplomatic victory

“Kargil: a diplomatic win” (The Tribune — May 29) provides satisfaction the world could understand India, in right earnest, over the Kargil episode. I feel world opinion might have necessitated the Pakistan Prime Minister’s decision to send his Foreign Minister for talks.

However, history says that Pakistan has been continuously disturbing India on one pretext or the other since 1947. Due to the generosity of the Indian government it has been pardoned every time, irrespective of the fact that it acquired Indian territory. Now the stand of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, that even during peace talks the Kargil operation for flushing out the infiltrators won’t be stopped, is appreciable.

Generosity is all-right but when such sincere feelings are eroded time and again, the defaulters are required to be taught a lesson. The infiltrators need to be eliminated forthwith — what to talk of sending them back alone — so that the practice is discouraged.

A befitting response can be good pressure tactics for the establishment of peace in the region. While utmost efforts should be made for the success of peace talks, equally important is safeguarding our land from the enemies. India should not compromise on its loss this time.

M.P.S. CHADHA
Chandigarh

PPSC selections

The last date for the receipt of applications by the PPSC, Patiala, for the posts of lecturer in the Government Colleges of Punjab was advertised as 26-4-99. Passing of the NET conducted by the UGC is an essential qualification for the eligibility for lecturership.

In the application form it was clearly laid down that the applicants who do not fulfil the eligibility conditions on the last date of the receipt of applications will not be considered for these posts.

The result of the NET conducted by the UGC on 27-12-98 was notified on 14-4-99 but was published in the Employment News of the week 1-5-99 — 8-5-99. The result was neither published in any other newspaper of the northern region nor has it been intimated to the successful candidates so far.

It is now learnt that some candidates did send in their applications in the hope that the NET result would be declared in any case before the PPSC starts processing the applications. There was candidates who did not send in their applications in view of the condition of eligibility not being satisfied by 26-4-99. Thus a situation has arisen in which certain eligible candidates who followed the instructions faithfully have lost the opportunity of competing with other candidates.

To be fair to the eligible candidates and to get a wider base for the selection of lecturers, it is desirable that the last date of receipt of applications for these posts be suitably extended.

HARINDER SINGH
Jalandhar

Tailpiece

How do you define a coalition government?

A building without girders!

K.J.S. AHLUWALIA
Amritsar