BPP electoral reforms

I am happy that an electoral reforms committee has been set up by the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) and I feel it a necessary platform for Zoroastrians to air their views. One of the reasons for my withdrawal from the fray was the farce of the well-intentioned but voluntary Code of Conduct (CoC) which at best could be considered a trial run for the code. A large majority of candidates had "voluntarily” forgotten that they had affixed their signatures to this well-intentioned document.
To implement serious changes there is an urgent need to depoliticize the system and introduce dignity and decorum into the manner in which trustees are appointed. If past events are any indication, not even a mandatory CoC will help the process. We need a complete overhaul, not just window dressing.

BPP trustee Kersi Randeria’s views on elections touch on the basics, but they need to be incorporated in a major overhaul which has become imperative. I suggest that the trustees’ terms should be of four or maximum of five years with no more than two terms each. The terms of all trustees should co-terminate with that of the board; vacancies caused by resignation or untimely demise should be filled by co-opting from the order of merit order in the previous election. This will avoid needless expenditure for carrying out the entire electoral process.
No policy decisions should be taken during the three-month period prior to the next board elections.
An election commission comprising at least three eminent members should be announced by the board in consultation with the next best seven candidates who had lost the previously held election.
Or the community could do away with the entire election process and co-opt community stalwarts from various fields, whether commerce and industry, medicine and science, law and judiciary, defense services, etc, who are known for their contribution to society and philanthropy. Such persons generally shy away from contesting elections. It is time the community honored such individuals by eschewing elections altogether.
PHIROZE AMROLIWALLA
phirozeamroliwalla@gmail.com