[Debate] Should Lobbying be legalized in India?

Enriquette

As the Supreme Court of India has ordered the Centre to produce all records in Radia tapes and the Khel Ratna Controversy (although the ministry has cleared the list now)- the question of lobbying once again arises.

(*) So,the topic of the debate is "Should lobbying be made legal in India"?

P.S. Note to moderators: If a thread already exists regarding lobbying then ,please post the link here and delete this thread.
Note to participants:Please write your stand i.e. for/against before starting argumentation .

SuperSaiyan

Yes , lobbying should be legalized.

Whether we like it or not , lobbying will and does take place . People with (money) power will try to get their work done. Large amounts of black money is generated . Instead its better to legalize it such that the money is atleast taxable.

Some of the "under the table" money movement will stop and to an extent corruption may reduce .

woman

The importance of lobbying today can't be overstated. It affects nearly all matters of public policy. Sadly, it is always understood in a negative connotation. Lobbying refers to any effort made by a group to affect the ultimate decision, or a part thereof. Lobbyists are not limited to a group trying to further corporate interests. By definition, even the group of farmers or technical experts who oppose the field trials of GM crops are a lobby, albeit one in the favor of the masses.

There are several benefits of legalizing lobbying.

1. More transparency and accountability in decision making: Proper regulation can ensure regular reporting (both financial and otherwise) of lobbying agencies, improving public understanding of the whole process

2. Collection of important views of all stakeholders: By ensuring access to senior decision makers to all lobbyists, and not only to those funded by vested interests

3. Curbing corruption which is not in public view due to the unrecognized status of lobbying

Countries such as USA, Australia, Germany and other advanced industrial countries have made lobbying legal and have regulated it to reap its benefits. And given the importance of such a practice, the way ahead to better governance in India should be to legalize and properly regulate it (in terms of regular reporting, disclosures and equality of access to decision makers) rather than to ignore its influence and let accountability in the area of public policy stay out of public's eye.