Isn't it time our govt was made accountable?

Independent info-bank MumbaiVotes is helping ensure just that, so that you can make an informed choice when you vote. The Member of Parliament Report Card launched last weekend shows you just how well (or badly) MPs delivered on their promises. Here are some key findings

Most of us remain immune to political scandals and corruption charges against the government. But what if our jaded attitudes could be changed? What if we could actually believe in the promises made by aspiring MPs? What if they could be made accountable for their actions?

The Member of Parliament Report Card is a step in that direction. What do you say when you realise that a Member of Parliament doesn't believe in signing the attendance register in the Lok Sabha? Or asking questions in the Lok Sabha assembly?



MumbaiVotes, a not-for-profit, independent info-bank founded by environmnental engineer Vivek Gilani, hopes to enlighten the common man by analysing whether the people in power have delivered on their promises.

Their first annual Promise versus Performance Report Card that was out last weekend helps analyse the performance of city MPs through statistical data, so that the next time you vote for your favoured MP, it's not a blind vote.

The basis of this analysis? Records of performance in the Parliament, State Assembly or Municipality, criminal records, records of spending tax-payer money, and most importantly, records of speech and actions in the public arena.

Here are the results that emerged from the qualitative and quantitative research done by mostly by media students under expert guidance. The card helps you find out how many questions your MP asked in the Parliament, as well as the quality of those questions. Why is this important? Because the questioning period serves as a daily snapshot of national political life and is that part of the assembly where the government is held accountable for its administrative policies and the conduct of its ministers, individually and collectively.
For the complete Report Card log on to www.mumbaivotes.com