In this article you will learn about the Duties of an Elected Representative in Political Science.
Duties of an Elected Representative
Representative is a person in whom the people have reposed faith by electing him/her through the casting of their votes in his favour. He is the person who has won the election from his constituency because a majority of people of the constituency has voted in his favour.
After getting elected as a representative of the people of his constituency, he is supposed to carry out his promises and secure the development and welfare of the people by securing the enactment and implementation of desired policies, decisions and programmes.
We can enumerate the duties of an elected representative of the people as follows :
1. To act as a trustee of the people, their interests, needs, opinions and resources.
2. To maintain continuous and active links with his constituency and know their problems, needs and demands.
3. To act as a two way channel of communication between the people and the government and vice-versa.
4. To secure proper implementation of development plans in his constituency.
5. To get released enhanced development grants for his constituency.
6. To secure favourable new development plans and programmes for his constituency.
7. To take a leading part in programmes being run for the socio-economic development of his consistency.
8. To work for securing the implementation of the policies and programmes of his party as enunciated in its election manifesto.
9. To play a leadership role in the process of formulation and crystallisation of public opinion on various issues.
10. To avoid bigotic and parochial attitudes. While attempting to secure local needs, he must not lose sight of the goals of national interests and national needs.
11. To attempt to secure popular support for good policies of the government but at the same time not to hesitate to criticise and evaluate the wrong or weak policies of the government.
12. To organise and lead social movements for eradicating social evils.
13. To maintain active links with the non-government organisations (NGOs) and social service organisations working in his constituency. To use such links for serving the interests of the people.
14. To secure respect for the human rights and freedoms of all, particularly of women and children, and to prevent any attempt on the part of public officials to make an excessive use of their authority.
15. To work vigorously for securing widespread and willing popular participation of the people in the political, social and cultural life of the people.
16. To refrain from using corrupt means and malpractices and to set an example of dedicated, devoted and honest behaviour.
17. To secure a balance between the national and local interests.
18. To take the demands of the people to the government for getting these converted into laws and policies.
19. To promote friendship, cooperation, goodwill and sense of fraternity among the people in general and residents of his constituency in particular.
20. To participate actively in the law-making and deliberative functions of the legislature.
21. To upload the confidence reposed in him by the people. To act as the trustee of the power of the people to rule.
22. To refrain from political corruption and defections.
A representative of the people is expected to diligently discharge his all responsibilities towards the people. This is both his duty as well as his need. In case he fails to perform his functions in a responsible and productive manner, the people of his constituency will not re-elect him in the next election.
This article on Duties of an elected Representative in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.