Andhra Pradesh appears to be a source of never ending tamasha and the scheduled elections for Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council is the latest source of entertainment for most us. The elections seem to be giving nightmares to every mainstream political party. There are allegations of cross voting, horse trading, political match fixing, poaching and it is rumored that political parties are spending crores of rupees for every seat in the Legislative Council. The Jagan factor, crisis in the Congress party and the fielding of a candidate by the TRS have mitigated the crisis further.

 In midst of all these political shenanigans, it seems that nobody has the time or the sense to question the relevance of Legislative Council. What is Legislative Council and what is its role in governance? Why do we require bicameral legislation, after all till 2006 Andhra Pradesh followed unicameral legislature. Hadn’t NTR discontinued the Legislative Council way back in mid eighties?  

The role of the Upper House is to act as the stabilizing force, or as a guide to the Legislative Assembly whose members are popularly elected. It needs to be constituted with eminent personalities who have the sagacity to advice elected leaders. The keyword here is ‘advice.’  Advice is never binding and sound advice comes from well-informed, respected, experienced men and women whose lives are a testimony of their integrity. In bicameral legislation it is expected that the lower house consists of democratically elected leaders who are elected through adult franchise. One of the most important duties of those elected to the lower houses is to rationally elect their advisors (the constituents of Upper House) with due diligence. The Upper House needs to be represented by the intelligentsia (including artists, doctors, scientists, academicians, former policy makers et al.), who otherwise do not have the time and energy to contest general elections, but nevertheless are required to be a part of the decision making bodies for larger common good. They are supposed to guide the state adopt well meaning inclusive policies.

  Unfortunately, membership to the Upper House today is a means to placate warring groups in political parties, or rehabilitate defeated or aged politicians. It has become a means for the parties to express gratitude to those who either fund political parties or campaign for them. Affiliations of caste and region affect its constitution. As the stakes get higher, membership to Legislative Council has morphed from a position of responsibility to one of privilege. One no longer finds men and women of stature in Legislative Council as money bags have forced them aside.

The recent acts of violence in the concluded elections to the graduates’ and teachers’ representatives to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, reports of alleged horse trading and match fixing amongst those being elected through the local bodies is disheartening. About those being elected by the Members of the Legislative Assembly the less said the much better. At this juncture it is pertinent that we examine the role being played by Upper Houses, today. Upper Houses consisting of eminent, law abiding citizens are very vital for the functioning of our democracy. Political parties, left, right or centre have to realize that they have let down the country and its people as they degraded the status of Upper Houses.

The quality of those who make it to the Upper Houses indirectly depends on the quality of the voters. After all our representatives (be they MLAs or Local Government representatives) elect most of those who make it to the Upper Houses. Hence, it is necessary that we vote carefully and choose our representatives.