Viable alternatives to caretaker government

The apex court decision on the unconstitutionality of the caretaker system and its haste abolition by the government have generated serious concern among those desirous of free and fair elections to propel a robust democratic governance. The incumbent government and the opposition alike publicly support free and fair election but they differ on how to achieve it. The former's opposition to and the latter's support for, the caretaker system are seemingly non-negotiable. Some civil society members and the media also tend to support the caretaker system. The caretaker system was not an end in itself but a means towards an end of holding free and fair elections. It is now high time for us to emphasise the end more than a means that no longer exists and move forward in working out viable alternatives to attain the desired goal. This brief note is intended to be a way forward, suggesting some widely known and practiced alternatives to the caretaker system for ensuring free and fair elections.