Swatantra Party Constitution

Summary

This pamphlet reproduces the Swatantra Party’s Constitution as amended on 14 April 1973 by the Sixth National Convention held at Rajajinagar, Madras. Nineteen numbered articles set out the Party’s institutional architecture: its name, its objective (“to further and endeavour to put into effect the principles adopted by the Party’s Preparatory Convention in Bombay on August 1 and 2, 1959”), its headquarters, and a graduated tier of units running from the Primary Unit at the legislative-constituency level up through District Committees, State or Regional Councils, the 250-member General Council, and a National Executive of not more than twenty-two office-bearers and members. Membership is open to any adult who subscribes in writing to the Party’s principles, pays a one-rupee annual subscription (with a life-membership option), and is not already a member of another political party.

The text is preoccupied with the machinery of intra-party democracy. Elections at every level are to be conducted by secret ballot, and any State or Regional Council with more than a stipulated strength is to be filled by proportional representation “as set out in Appendix A annexed hereto.” A National Convention must be held at least every two years and a State or Regional Convention at least once in two years. Disciplinary suspension moves through a District-to-State-to-National appeal chain, and disputed elections are settled by Election Tribunals whose determinations members are explicitly forbidden to take to the ordinary courts. Subscription revenue is divided by formula (40 percent Primary, 40 percent District, 10 percent State, 10 percent Headquarters), and members who miss three consecutive meetings without leave are deemed to have vacated their seats.

Appendix A codifies the balloting rules in unusual detail. For single-vacancy elections a plurality decides; for multi-vacancy elections the Party adopts a system of single non-transferable votes “of equal preference,” letting each voter cast as many equally-weighted votes as there are vacancies, with careful footnotes on under-voting, tie-breaking by lot, invalidation of ballots that identify the voter, and the right of candidates or their representatives to observe the scrutiny. Amendment of the Constitution itself requires either a General Council recommendation adopted by a majority of delegates at a National Convention, or a proposal moved by 200 members and carried by three-fourths of delegates present, with thirty days’ notice to the National Executive. The pamphlet closes with a colophon: “Published by S. V. Raju, Executive Secretary, Swatantra Party, National Headquarters, 143 M. G. Road, Bombay 400 001.”

Key points

• The Party’s stated objective binds it to the principles adopted at the Preparatory Convention held in Bombay on 1-2 August 1959.
• Membership requires a written subscription to Party principles, a Re. 1 annual fee (or a two-year composite fee for life membership), and non-membership of any other political party.
• The Party is organised in a five-tier pyramid: Primary Unit (legislative constituency), District Committee, State or Regional Council, General Council of up to 250 members, and a National Executive of about 22 office-bearers.
• All internal elections are by secret ballot; State/Regional Councils and General Council seats are filled by proportional representation set out in Appendix A.
• The National Convention must meet at least once every two years; the General Council elects the National Executive, ideally on the Convention’s eve.
• Election disputes are decided by State or National Election Tribunals whose decisions are final, and members are prohibited from taking such disputes to Courts of Law.
• Subscription income is distributed 40% Primary Unit, 40% District, 10% State/Regional, 10% National Headquarters, with audited accounts required at every unit.
• Amendments to the Constitution require either a General Council recommendation carried by majority at a National Convention, or a three-fourths majority on a proposal moved by 200 members with 30 days’ notice.