Proportional representation will cure personality politics

Democracy, in the immortal words of President Abraham Lincoln, is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. This pithy description makes democracy a sacrosanct concept that endures throughout the universe.

Still, there is no gainsaying the fact that the task of operationalising democracy to the full extent of its meaning has remained too onerous and often elusive. A key feature in democracy is periodic elections, where citizens freely choose their leaders. This underscores the profound need to establish, in every polity at every time, an electoral system that is transparent, accountable and credible.