THE BHOPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

UNIT IV

Tools and Measures in Indian Context

System Centric Tools

ELECTION MANIFESTOS

• Election manifestos are vital documents in India’s democratic process.

• They serve as communication tools, outlining a party's vision, policies, and

commitments  understanding party’s intentions

• Manifestos help voters make informed choices by educating them about policies and
priorities.

• They serve as benchmarks for evaluating a party's performance once in power,

fostering accountability.

• Manifestos guide policy formulation, ensuring alignment with the party's vision and
goals.

• Manifestos encourage citizen engagement and inclusion through feedback and input
solicitation.

• They serve as checks and balances, enabling opposition scrutiny as well as public
scrutiny.

• Manifestos promote continuity in governance and long-term planning for sustainable

development.

• Example  The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Manifesto in Delhi Elections

*Edited & Compiled for Students by:

KALYANI JAIN
Assistant Professor
Political Science (Humanities)
The Bhopal School of Social Sciences
 THE BHOPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Class : Political Science Subject : Good Governance
Unit : Unit IV

• AAP's 2015 manifesto outlined commitments on healthcare, education, and

anti-corruption measures.

• Their performance in fulfilling these promises was closely monitored,

promoting transparency and accountability.

LIMITATIONS

• Political parties are not legally obligated to fulfil their manifesto promises.

• Supreme Court ruling (2015): the current legal frameworks cannot hold a political
party that reneges on its manifesto promises, accountable or liable; NOT not on
establishing accountability

• 2013 ECI guidelines (Model Code of Conduct): focus the nature of promises being
made.

• “ensure that Constitutional ideals are not violated in their manifestos, and to
not make promises that vitiate the purity of the election process or exert undue
influence on the voters in exercising their franchise.”

JUDICIAL ACTIVISM AND PIL

• Judicial Review  Supreme Court as the guardian of the Fundamental rights of the
people [Article 32]

• power of determining the constitutional validity of all laws

• Necessary for Establishing ‘Rule of Law’  against legislative/administrative/judicial

arbitrariness

• Example: Kesavananda Bharti v. St of Kerela  Basic Structure Doctrine

• Public Interest Litigation  Legal actions initiated by individuals or groups in the

public interest to address issues affecting society.
 THE BHOPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Class : Political Science Subject : Good Governance
Unit : Unit IV

• PILs hold authorities accountable, promote transparency, and address systemic

issues.

• enable access to justice  Expanded the scope for judicial activism

• Judicial activism: Courts actively interpreting and applying the Constitution and laws
to protect citizens' rights

• Courts act as a check on executive and legislative actions, ensuring adherence

to the rule of law, justice, and accountability

• Righting the Wrongs

• Protection against inhuman treatment in jail (Sunil Batra vs. Delhi

Administration)

• Protection of Ecology and Environment Pollution (Rural Litigation and

Entitlement Kendra v. State of U.P., Shriram Food and Fertilizer case

• Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Vishakha vs. State of Rajasthan) Corruption

in Public life: Fodder scam in Bihar, 2G scam,

• Implied Fundamental Rights (Justice KS Puttaswamy v. Union of India)