Participatory Democratic Decentrilization Through Innovative Mechanism A Study Of Back to Village Programme In Kashmir

Abstract

ver since the dawn of human life, there has been a consistent urge shown by human beings to live in groups and have some form of organized life. This has been so in order to manage their daily business and ensure the safety of life and property. In this urge to have an organized and stable life, as human civilization advanced, many political systems, such as monarchy, aristocracy, totalitarianism, oligarchy, democracy, etc., emerged in different regions of the world with the objective of bringing some semblance of order, enhancing people s lives, and raising the standard of living.1 Democracy is regarded as one of the best political orders in the world, because of the fact that populace commands the ultimate power in it. Democracy s beginnings can be traced back to Greece s city- states. Democracy has always been referred to as the rule of the people because the public holds the ultimate power in both direct (where the people directly debate and determine the legislation) and indirect (where the people elect representatives for the same) systems of governance.2 Liberty, equality, involvement of the public, economic freedom, justice, rule of law, accountability, transparency, etc. are the fundamental tenets of democratic rule.3 All of these freedoms and rights were established with the intention of empowering the populace and establishing a just democratic system that is considerate of the interests of all people. Democracy since its emergence in the ancient Greece has gone through transitions and modifications; becoming more inclusive and cosmopolitan over time. The extension of voting rights to all adult citizens (particularly women and the underrepresented), free and fair elections, freedom to run for public offices, openness, public scrutiny, and citizen involvement in decision-making are some novel examples of these newline 1. S. E. Finer, The History of Government from the Earliest Times: Ancient Monarchies and Empires, (New York: Oxford University Pres