Jalan pins hope on Modi govt for political reforms

Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Bimal Jalan hopes the present BJP-led NDA Central government will carry out political reforms.
"This time people have brought a new government at the Centre with a clear majority. This is the time some political reforms and other reforms should be brought," Jalan said while addressing the students of Presidency University, from where he had graduated, here today.
Jalan said India was reeling under coalition politics and after a long time, in 2014, people gave a clear mandate to a single political party. He emphasised on reforms required in the anti-defection law and that the political parties be brought under the same.

The anti-defection law currently applies to individuals and not to political parties. That was the reason the law has not able to achieve for what it was meant, he said.
Jalan also urged people to stress on accountability for all - institutions, political parties, or ministers.
In this regard, he suggested there should be higher devolution of powers to the state governments.
"I think there should be more powers to the state and this will help bring in more accountability, instead of the blame game between the Centre and the state in implementation of schemes," Jalan noted.