Roadmap for Strengthening the Opposition
~ A research project by Governance Innovation Labs
- CROWDSOURCING — ONLINE AND OFFLINE:
Crowdsourcing is the process of gathering data by collecting feedback from a large number of individuals. This method employed by the opposition can help better leverage the knowledge and experience of the constituency. A wider audience can be reached by using an online crowdsourcing site, but there won’t be much chance to get customized comments. Again, using an offline crowdsourcing technique enables more personalized perspectives.
Online Platforms
- Creation of local public forums or websites to create and manage a curated list of issues in daily government implementation.
- Creation of a weighted list where the most important issues are weighed the most, followed by others. The weightage can be based on how effectively the issue is identified and resolved by the government.
- Using social media platforms to gather data and verify accordingly.
- Websites and apps for public engagement to bring out local issues that fail to reach mainstream media.
- Establishing portals for crowdsourcing political ideas and opposition strategies.
- Political and economic experts can come together to break down policies and simplify it in layman language to increase transparency.
- Online surveys and feedbacks on specific bills passed by the current government
- Media outlets should ensure reporting balanced and impartial government policies and their effects on the public.
Offline Methods:
- Organization of community meetings and town hall sessions
- Communicate with the public and collect their feedback through personal interaction to get more personalized views
- Distributing flyers, and pamphlets to spread information and gather input on government policies
- Hosting several workshops and conferences in local areas to spread awareness. This can be done by partnering with NGOs to reach a broader crowd
- Conduct rallies, and protests to make the government aware of the claims of the opposition
2. SHADOW CABINET FOR OPPOSITION:
The opposition should assemble a diverse team of ministers to mirror the position of power in the current government. As the political representation is divided into local, state and national levels, so the opposition should ensure to establish representation at each level. The different levels of government are:
Local Level Representation
- Panchayati Raj Institutions: The Panchayats are a system of rural local self government. It consists of:
Gram Panchayat (Village Level): elected by members of Gram Sabha which consists of all the eligible voters in the village
Panchayat Samiti (Block Level): Comprises representatives from the Gram Panchayats
Zila Parishad (District Level): Elected members from the Panchayat
- Municipalities: Urban local government consists of municipalities. Councilors are directly elected by the citizens
State Level Representation
- Vidhan Sabha (State Legislative Assemblies): MLA or the Members of the Legislative Assembly, are directly elected by the voters in their respective constituency
- Vidhan Parishad (State Legislative Councils): Members of the Legislative Council or MLCs, are elected by various constituencies or nominated by the Governor.
National Level Representation
- Lok Sabha (House of the People): Members of Parliament or MPs in Lok Sabha are directly elected by the citizens of their respective constituencies across India
- Rajya Sabha (Council of States): Members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies, using a single transferable vote system.
REFERENCES:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-are-the-three-levels-of-governance-in-india/
https://www.indembassysweden.gov.in/page/political-structure/
https://www.govocal.com/blog/why-citizen-participation-is-key-for-policymakers
https://medium.com/@RossAlTejada/crowdsourcing-in-the-offline-world-e3c736be451
