Grassroots democracy in action: Understanding the importance of Uttarakhand’s ULB Elections
GUEST COLUMN
MM Semwal and Vidushi Dobhal Naithani
India has long been evolving governance structures from ancient to colonial to post-independence times. The roots of local self-governance also date back to ancient times and the structure has efficiently evolved to meet the changing needs of the Indian society. While the municipal governance structure during the British colonial era was established to serve the commercial and administrative needs of the colonialists, the post-independence adaptation of local self-governance within the Indian Constitution was undertaken to empower and include grassroots decision-making in the development of the nation.
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts of 1992 marked a transformative step in creating a constitutional framework for rural and urban local self-government, respectively. This unveiled a platform for broader democratic participation in India. The 74th Amendment also added the 12th Schedule to the Constitution, chalking out the responsibilities and powers of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India. The urban local bodies are tasked with providing essential public amenities and conveniences such as water, health, waste management and sanitation. Beyond these, they also hold responsibility for infrastructure development, town planning, environmental sustainability, the overall economic and social development of the designated area and the overall well-being of urban residents. ULBs have facilitated direct citizen participation in governance and have thus brought democracy closer to the citizens. The ULBs play a pivotal role in voicing citizens’ demands about urban planning, service delivery and other crucial issues impacting the daily quality of life. The bodies also serve as vital training grounds for political leaders to begin their grassroots engagement.
Uttarakhand is gearing up for the ULB elections on January 23. The rate of urbanisation in Uttarakhand is 30.2 per cent which is significant and nears the national average of 31.2 per cent. Although the population is mainly concentrated in towns such as Dehradun, Haridwar and Haldwani, smaller towns and cities have sprung up across the State. Being a predominantly mountain State, most of Uttarakhand’s ULBs are located in remote and mountainous areas.
The ULB election schedule includes voting in 11 municipal corporations, 43 municipal councils, and 46 Nagar Panchayats. Out of 107 ULBs in Uttarakhand, seven would not go to polls due to either shifting population or non-availability of delimitation data. In an initiative to encourage greater participation from female voters, 70 pink booths for female voters managed by an all-women staff will be set up in these ULB elections. Women constitute roughly half of the 30 lakh registered voters in the State. Nearly five lakh new urban voters have been added in the last six years.
Although reservations for specific seats have sparked debate, they remain instrumental in addressing the electorate’s diversity. With less than a fortnight remaining, the citizens must understand the relevance of these elections and the implications of their votes. The ULBs are the first point of grievance redressal for urban citizens. Hence, it becomes essential that a chosen representative is grounded in the realities of the urban body and the daily challenges it faces. It is necessary to recognise that not all governance shortcomings can be blamed on the State and national representatives. The constitution has empowered the citizens with the right to exercise their votes and voice their concerns; a responsibility which must be exercised judiciously.
With the recently concluded 2024 general elections, a concerning voter trend has been observed within the State where national narratives were seen to overshadow local issues. A strong inclination towards the national leadership was evident despite the looming local problems of resource availability, environmental sustainability, land laws and disaster preparedness that had gathered significant resentment from citizen bodies and activists.
Additionally, Uttarakhand witnessed lesser voter turnout as compared to other mountain States in the April 2024 elections. Both major parties in the State, the BJP and the Congress, have fielded candidates for the ensuing elections and canvassing has begun under the larger banner and influence of each party’s national presence. BJP enjoys significant leverage over its opposition, owing to its majority presence at the national and State level. The party’s recent performance, which led to a clean sweep in all five Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections has also amplified its confidence and strategic positioning in the ULB polls. The recent promises by the Dhami government, election victory in the Kedarnath by-poll and the Prime Minister’s encouraging address to the State on its 25th foundation day in November 2024 have reinstated voter confidence in the ruling regime.
Despite the prominent presence of the BJP and Congress, independent candidates have also shown strong participation, with over 6,000 total nominations filed for various posts. This reflects the altering dynamics of the independent political front slowly taking shape in the State. As local issues get highlighted, many local and independent leaders have also demonstrated enthusiastic participation and support. It would be interesting to observe if the ongoing trend of favoring the regime already in power to facilitate a ‘double-engine government’ repeats itself in the forthcoming ULB elections. Ideally, the central theme of the elections must revolve around the 18 key functional areas, as mentioned in the 12th schedule. The voters must understand the power and authority of ULBs, which define its overall mandate. Awareness about these is essential to ensure informed voting and effective electoral decisions.
Urbanisation in Uttarakhand has been a reactive process resulting from unchecked migration rather than strategic planning. The city municipalities have been under pressure to cope with the heightened rise in population. This hampers the ability to provide basic facilities and services such as sufficient water, sanitation and waste management. Further, the available infrastructure proves insufficient for the population’s growing demands. Overcrowded urban areas and limited resource availability is slowly becoming a grim reality for the citizens of the state. Migration and urbanisation in Uttarakhand share a cyclical relationship. The increasing number of slums in and around Dehradun and reports of garbage heaps accumulating in public places highlight the urgent need for municipal reforms and enhanced civic engagement. In the Swachh Survekshan Report 2023, Dehradun ULB has been awarded the cleanest city of Uttarakhand but has a national rank of 68. The poor ranking of other ULBs of Uttarakhand is further alarming.
Based on the report published by the National Commission on Population (2020), the population density in Uttarakhand is projected to increase from 189 per sqkm in 2011 to 243 per sqkm by 2036. Further, the percentage of urban population is expected to rise from 31.2 per cent (2011-15) to 40.6 per cent (2031-25). It is worth noting that the major towns, which also correspond to the 11 municipal corporations in the State, have witnessed an increasing concentration of population in the past many years due to consistent migration from the mountains. This trend is expected to continue as more and more residents travel to larger towns for better opportunities.
Migration also impacts the voter turnout. Many voters reside in areas distant from their registered polling station, making it impractical and tedious to travel back to vote. This trend was evident in the 2024 general elections, where districts experiencing heightened migration were among the worst voter count and voting percentage performers. Thus, the growth in number of voters does not always correspond to better representation for the residents of Uttarakhand. The population density is highly skewed towards the larger or emerging cities, which might not be reflected in the voter lists. Unable to cast their vote, such ‘lost voices’ undermine the democratic process’s ability to be inclusive and reflective of the majority opinion.
The ensuing ULB elections represent a critical opportunity for the citizens of Uttarakhand to shape the future of urban governance and make it more responsive and effective. In addition, the elected representatives will face the daunting task of addressing the complex challenges to urban governance, service delivery and resource management. A holistic approach by local leaders is essential to break the cyclical nature of excessive migration, unplanned urbanisation and consequent resource depletion in urban areas. The more significant challenges faced by Uttarakhand are in no way restricted to the urban areas alone; however, fostering greater accountability and prioritising local concerns would drive ULBs to become instruments of change and promote sustainable development across the State, thus enhancing the quality of life of the residents of Uttarakhand. Active civic engagement in grassroots democracy is the stepping stone toward realising this vision.
(Semwal is head of political science department at HNB Garhwal University, Naithani is a search scholar. Views expressed are personal)
