Dear Shri Yechuri
            I have seen your article in the Hindustan Times (23 April, 2009) on the electoral system. While I fully endorse your idea that the proportional representation may be the ideal, your article towards the end speak of a combination of proportional representation with double number constituencies perhaps you have been influenced by the criticism against the proportional system that it severes a direct linkage between the people and their representatives. I recall that Justice Jeevan Reddy had made a suggestion on how a linkage can be maintained if a party assigns its representatives checked under the proportional system to various constituencies in which they have secured a majority. Otherwise the real link between the people and the legislature is through the political parties operating in the area. Also double member constituency is so huge in area and population that there can be no effective linkage between the MP and the electors concerned.
           
You have not spelt out the cut-off limit of the national vote required for parties to enter the Parliament; the commonly accepted figure is 5%.
           
May I add that generally the government at the centre has been formed with less than25% positive support of the electors, calculated as a multiple of average turn- out of 60% and average percentage of 35% of votes to win a constituency? It is therefore absolutely essential not only to change the electoral system but perhaps also to change the political system so that the Parliament may elect the head of the government but leave him free to induct persons of national eminence in his Council of Ministers without confining himself to the members of the legislature, facing as you have put it unreasonable pressure and demand which have increased with the advent of money power.

Yours sincerely
(Syed Shahabuddin)