Lok Satta

Verification of Electoral Rolls (1999 onwards): Lok Satta conducted pilot studies (1999-2002; Phase I) to systematically verify the authenticity of electoral rolls. Following these findings, the Election Commission (in 2004) has established simpler and citizen-friendly procedures for accessing, verifying and updating electoral rolls. The Phase II survey initiated in 2004 (and continuing) has shown a dramatic decline in the electoral list flaws, following the establishment of these procedural reform measures.

Post Office as Nodal Agency for Voters' Registration (1998 - 2004): Following six-year long advocacy campaign by Lok Satta, the Election Commission and the Department of Posts have agreed to make over 150,000 post offices across the country the nodal agencies for ensuring citizen-friendly and permanent access to electoral rolls.

The Election Watch programme started in 1998 (Parliamentary Elections) as a 'know your electoral candidate' initiative and evolved as a campaign to promote citizens' participation for prevention of polling irregularities. The Screening of Candidates for Criminal Record (1999 onwards) effort involved the public and impartial screening of (potential) candidates to highlight those with established criminal records. Also, as a part of the Election Watch activities, the electoral candidates in constituencies were brought together on a single platform in a moderated debate format, with participation from the constituents. This programme had later been taken up in many other states including Delhi (2003), Maharashtra (2004), West Bengal (2001) and Gujarat (2001) and has been successfully adopted by the electronic media across the country.

The Delhi High Court judgment of Nov. 2000 directed the Election Commission to collect and disclose to the public, criminal records of candidates. This was largely based on Lok Satta's documentation of candidates' profile in 1999.

Campaign for Candidate Disclosures - Supreme Court Judgment (1999-2003): Following a sustained advocacy campaign led by Lok Satta, the Supreme Court of India upheld Lok Satta's (and co-petitioners PUCL and ADR) contention and ruled that all candidates for legislative offices in India should file a sworn statement disclosing their criminal and financial antecedents at the time of their nomination.

Political Funding Reform (since inception - 2003): Lok Satta effectively and quietly lobbied with the government and major political parties for political funding reform providing for disclosure, tax incentives and free broadcast time in media. A progressive law to this effect was enacted in September 2003, with multi-partisan support in the Parliament.

Campaigns for Electoral and Political Reforms (2002 onwards): The campaign for Electoral Reforms was launched in 2002 and has spread across several major states in India, involving several like-minded organizations and groups. It now has taken the shape of a campaign for Political Reforms that was launched in April, 2005.

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Establishing Instruments of Public Accountability

Citizen's Charters in Andhra Pradesh Municipalities (since inception-2001): Lok Satta launched the 'Swarajya' movement in 1998 with the objective of empowering citizens and prompting authorities towards improved public service delivery. This movement led to the then Andhra Pradesh State government establishing Citizen's Charters in nine departments in 2001. There are over 700 charters in various government departments in the country. Lok Satta is currently advocating the strengthening of redressal-compensation mechanisms in those charters.

Right to Information Act (since inception - 2005): Lok Satta's research, advocacy and citizens' campaign efforts in collaboration with other leading civil society organization notably, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan (MKSS) and National Campaign for Promotion of Right to Information (NCPRTI), helped achieve a comprehensive and universal right to access public information, in June 2005. This was preceded by a 'postcard campaign' (in 2004) initiated by Lok Satta; more than 163,000 citizens wrote directly to the Prime Minister's Office demanding the immediate implementation of the RTI. With the successful enactment of the RTI bill, Lok Satta, in collaboration with the print and electronic media is currently conducting grassroots campaigns for improving citizen awareness on effectively using the provisions of this law.

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Empowerment of Local Governments

'Little Republics' and '10-million signatures campaign' (2003 onwards) - The year 2003 was celebrated by Lok Satta as the year of local governments. In January 2003, a Federation for the Empowerment of Local Governments (FELG) was formed by the elected local government representatives cutting across traditional party lines. Lok Satta and FELG led a sustained advocacy and people's campaign in 2003, culminating in the '10 million signature campaign' (August 9 - October 2, 2003) that secured 1,06,32,816 endorsements from the citizens of Andhra Pradesh who unequivocally demanded the empowerment of their local governments.

Grassroots-level Voter Awareness Campaigns were conducted in 2001, during the run up the elections to Panchayats (rural local governments) and in 2005, for Municipal elections (urban local governments) with the aim of mobilizing public opinion against the influence of money power and criminals in electoral politics.

Empowerment of Women

Lok Satta, in collaboration with like-minded civil society organizations has taken up the campaign to empower the women representatives in local governments (since 2004). Lok Satta has catalyzed the federation of elected women politicians in AP (in 2005), as a part of the South India-wide effort to form similar federations. These federations are acting as valuable platforms for women representatives to enhance their leverage and thereby bring a greater focus on women's issues into the governance process.

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Enabling Cooperative Law - 2004

In collaboration with Cooperative Development Foundation (CDF), Lok Satta helped stop the enactment of a restrictive Societies Law (in 2004) and ensured passing of an enabling law benefiting 65,000 organizations across the state. These efforts have also prompted the Union Government to draft a constitutional amendment (due to be enacted soon) towards ensuring the free functioning of the cooperatives.

Judicial Reforms

Lok Satta's advocacy campaign for establishment of Local Courts (1997 onwards) with simple procedures has led the Indian Government to announce the tabling of a bill in the Winter Session of 2005, to this effect. Once established, such courts would greatly serve the purpose of delivering speedy, effective and affordable justice.

Lok Satta has also been leading an advocacy-based campaign (since 1997) for the establishment of National Judicial Council to oversee the higher judiciary and an Indian Judicial Service to enable the induction of competent and talented youngsters into judicial services.

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Service Delivery and Infrastructure: Health, Education and Electricity

Health:

Lok Satta's advocacy and grassroots work (1997 onwards) for improved public health delivery system has led to formation of the National Health Mission (in 2005; with a budget of Rs. 1000 billion) that would lead to a decentralized, universal healthcare access in the country.

Urban Health Survey (in 2005) was conducted by Lok Satta volunteers under the direction of a team of medical experts, to document the functioning of Urban Health Posts in Hyderabad. The findings of this study contributed towards the preparation of a blue print for the National Health Mission (above). The primary units of Lok Satta too have taken up grassroots campaign (since 2000) across the state of AP, to document the functioning of primary health centers.

Education:

Since its inception, Lok Satta has been leading an advocacy campaign for the empowerment of government primary schooling system. Grassroots advocacy campaigns have been conducted across the state of AP, towards the empowerment of school committees and parents' committees.

In 2005, Lok Satta has collaborated with a like-minded civil society organization ('PRATHAM') to conduct a massive Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2005) in AP as a part of the national effort to evaluate the status of education and related infrastructure. This survey will be carried out in December 2005 covering around 450 villages of the AP state.

Power Sector:

Lok Satta formed a Consumer Organization for Regulation of Electricity (CORE) team in 1998 that has successfully demonstrated the model of decentralized distribution management of electricity as an important component of power sector reforms in the country (on going project).

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Urban Governance and Related Issues

In 1999, a people's initiative to curb the short delivery of petrol at delivery stations was launched simultaneously across more than 1500 petrol stations across the state of AP. This initiative employed simple-yet-innovative approaches to measure the extent of short delivery and helped institutionalize corrective measures.

Under the leadership of the Maharashtra Chapter of Lok Satta, the pressing issue of sustainable development of urban centers in the country has been taken up (starting 2005). This campaign is being conducted in collaboration with elected representatives/parliamentarians from various parties, civil society organizations and public-spirited individuals towards the aim of making the urban governments more empowered, responsive and accountable to the citizens.

Concerned over the collapsing public transport infrastructure in major Indian cities, Lok Satta had launched a Campaign for Integrated Transport Improvement (CITI) in 2005. This campaign mobilized public opinion in favour of immediately restructuring and reviving the public transport system as a means towards ensuring improved traffic flow, reduction in pollution levels, congestion and mental stress and promoting fuel conservation.

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