Page 116 - Constitution

70 Years of Indian Years of Indian

Constitution
Constitution

The inscription under discussion
was introduced to prevent the public assembly
has defined what constitutes a family
dominated by one family which was not democracy
but feudalism. and it says “family means the father of
But under the present constitution any number
of members from one family could be elected the candidate, his relatives like father’s

and the same family could perpetuate their brothers, sisters, etc
sons, daughters, and grandsons by getting them
election cannot stand for the next three elections;
elected. It should be remembered that thousand
and there should be an interval of three elections
years ago the population was hardly 1% of what
before he can stand for second election.”
we have today. Hundred-and-thirty crore of people
“Further a candidate can stand only for three
we have today and yet considerable numbers of
elections in his life time and not more.” This is a
elected members may belong to the same family
forethought of ancestors who prevented such an
who were elected 50 years ago. Not only that,
occurrence. No other member of the family can
but when anybody’s chance to get elected turns
stand if one is disqualified or declared a criminal.
bleak, they get them nominated to Rajya Sabha
This restriction of term not only for him but to all
and see the family hold is not lost. The present
his family members was to prevent the election
system cannot be considered democratic by any
from going into the hands of one family”. But
means but out and out a Neo-feudal system. As
according to the present constitution, the family
this clause deals with the participation, it became
is not considered a unit for purposes of election.
necessary to define what is a family? The
So conveniently now four or five members of
inscription under discussion has defined what
the family stand and exploit the democratic
constitutes a family and it says “family means the
conventions!
father of the candidate, his relatives like father’s
The next clause in the inscription is a series
brothers, sisters, etc. Similarly, his mother’s
of disqualification
relatives, his own brothers and sisters and also
“According to the inscription of native
the family they get married into constitute a
constitution “these disqualifications are
family. None of them can stand for election”.
applicable to all kinds of criminal such as:
“Another sub clause included in the inscription
1. “One who has received bribe in any kind by any
is also important. A candidate elected in the

116 70 Years of Indian Constitution