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22:37 © FE vet @D vest Bee 1S wl 12 ll 27%, , SamnajWaai rarty, BYU jana Val, ALAIN, UMN, ctC. are examples oF regional parues, Question: Discuss the role of regional parties in strengthening federalism., , X. CHALLENGES TO POLITICAL PARTIES, , Some of the challenges which the political parties face are as follows:, , i. Lack of Internal Democracy:, , - The power is concentrated in the hands of one or a handful of leaders., , - Membership registers are not maintained, , - Do not conduct internal elections regularly, , - Ordinary members of the party do not get a chance to come up., , - The top leadership is often disconnected with the grassroots workers., , - Loyalty to the policies and principles of the party has less value than the loyalty to the top, leadership., , ii, Dynastic Succession:, , - The top positions in many political parties are usually controlled by members of one, family., , - A person born in a particular family becomes the leader by virtue of his birth;, , - Not the sign of a healthy democracy., , - This tendency is present in most of the political parties in India., , » This is not the case in India alone, but in many other countries as well., , iii. Money and Muscle Power:, , - a political party leaves no stone unturned to win elections, , : Spends huge sum of money on clectioncering., , - Nominates candidates who can raise money, , Rich people who give funding often influence the decisions and policies, , - Parties often take help of criminals and gives them ticket, , iv. Being a Meaningful Choice, , - Decline in the ideological difference amongst different parties, , Most of the political parties sound similar to one another., , - People have no choice than choosing the better of the two evils., , - In some states, the party in power just changes every five year but people seldom, , experience change on the ground., , Question: Highlight the major challenges faced by political parties in today’s time., , XI. WAYS TO REFORM POLITICAL PARTIES:, , i. Anti-defection Law:, , * The law says that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in, the legislature., , - This new law has helped bring defection down., , - Ithas made any dissent even more difficult., , - MPs and MLAs have to accept whatever the party leaders decide., , ii, Details of Property and Criminal Proceedings during Nomination:, , - It is mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file an AFFIDAVIT, giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him., , - The new system has made a lot of information available to the public., , - But there is no system of check if the information given by the candidates is true., , iii, Mandatory Organizational Elections and IT Returns:, , - Itnecessary for political parties to hold their organizational elections and file their, income tax returns., , - The parties have started doing so but sometimes it is mere formality., , iv. Suggestions for Future:, , 1. A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties., , 2. It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets,, about one-third, to women candidates., , 3. There should be state funding of elections. The government should give parties money, to support their election expenses. This support could be given in kind: petrol, paper,, telephone etc. Or it could be given in cash on the basis of the votes secured by the party, , in the last election., , 4. People can put pressure on political parties and this can be done through petitions,, publicity and agitations., , 5. Ordinary citizens, pressure groups and movements & media can play an important role, in this., , 6. . Political parties can improve if those who want this join politics. As the quality of, democracy depends upon the degree of participation., , Question: Suggest some features which can further help in strengthening poli tical, , parties and their functioning., , III O <