Why India Needs a Uniform Law for Inner-Party Democracy & Political Leadership

The Congress leadership crisis throws up questions about political parties’ internal organisation and structure.

The recent uproar by the G-23 over the leadership crisis in Congress has stirred a debate on whether there is a need for constitutional recognition of the internal organisation of political parties as they are the source of maintaining a connection between the representatives in the government or in the opposition and the people who vote them to power. In simple terms, a political party is an organised group possessing common views on governance that aim to further their agenda and policy through political power. They mobilise the electorate, set agendas and indulge in political propagation. However, due to lack of internal democratic functioning, a party’s leadership is often centralised, denying equal opportunity to other members.