Page 68 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

The electoral scenario in India came to be dominated by
Under an alien rule the basic need of unity of outlook between the people poli cal par es. This was not exactly a new development
and those governing them could be subordinated to imperial and other as poli cal par es had existed even in the colonial era.
considerations. But under a democratic form of government based on adult Poli cal par es have their advantages in Parliamentary
franchise, it is imperative that there should be real consciousness of identity democracy like a) ease in mobilising public opinion b) ease
of interests between the people and the government, and that both should of government forma on c) delivering responsible
work in an atmosphere of co-ordination and mutual understanding. e governance and d) building a responsive opposi on. The
success of a welfare state depends essentially on broad-based popular word “poli cal party”, however, was conspicuously absent
support, which cannot be secured if processes of government were not in the Representa on of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951.
brought home to the people (Para 121). It was first entered into Representa on of the People Act,
1951 through an amendment enacted on March 15, 1989
- Report on the States Reorganisation Commission (1955) – vide Sec on 5 of Representa on of the People
(Amendment) Act, 1988 (Act 1 of 1989). The same was

“ “
My thesis is briefly this (1) that there is an
underlying philosophy of liberal democracy, (2)
that the United States Supreme Court has not
adequately formulated this, (3) that the newly
independent countries face unique problems and
opportunities, which both challenge and prove
democratic assumptions (4) that the Indian
Constitution in its purpose and wording and the
Indian people in their essential culture offer best
seed-bed for propagation of the liberal ideal, and (5)
that an Indian lead would be more pertinent to and
willingly followed by the new countries of Africa
and Asia than that of any other nation.

- Harrop A. Freeman
Professor of Public Law, Cornell University Law School and
Visiting Consultant to the Indian Law Institute (1959-60) in
Needed: A Jurisprudential eory of Liberal Democracy
(Indian Law Institute Journal, 1960)
Election campaign in progress in New Delhi, 1952

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