At last count, there were 2,858 parties registered with the Election Commission of India. Of these, eight are national parties, 54 are state parties and 2,797 are unrecognised parties.
The internal functioning and structures of an overwhelming number of these political parties are opaque and ossified
The roots of the most pertinent challenges faced by Indian politics today can be traced to the lack of intra-party democracy
Need for Democracy in Political Parties
The absence of intra-party democracy has contributed to political parties becoming closed autocratic structures.
To avoid factionalism and division of parties
A democratic party will be accountable to its party members
A transparent party structure with transparent processes will allow proper ticket distribution and candidate selection.
Lack of democracy has led to problem of candidates with criminal backgrounds contesting elections.
Factors responsible for lack of democracy
Dynasty politics: The lack of intra-party democracy has also contributed to the growing nepotism in political parties.
Personality cult: There is a tendency of hero worship in people and many times a leader takes over the party
Centralized structure of Political Parties
ECI’s power to require parties to hold regular internal elections for office bearers, and candidate selection is compromised in the absence of any penal provisions – Under Section 16-A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 to either suspend or withdraw recognition to a political party as a national or state party.
Way Forward
Law to Compulsify Elections: The political party shall hold elections of national and State levels in the presence of the observers to be nominated by the ECI.
Empowering ECI: appointment of external election monitors and other innovative mechanisms that the internal democratic processes of all political parties play out in a just, fair and credible manner.
Seats in Party can be reserved for women and members of the backward community including minorities.
