Our Country is the largest democracy in the world. Elections and electioneering are integral and important aspects of politics for any democratic system of governance. A democracy is vibrant only when elections to the offices of power are held in a free and fair manner and are seen to be transparent, inclusive and are accountable.
Such a trust deficit calls for electoral reforms. Most follow either Majoritarian, Proportional Representation or Mixed. While the first three general elections were mostly held in a free and fair manner, the rot was set in the fourth general elections held in 1967. Probably the electoral system that we follow is the root cause of political corruption and the rot.
Electoral reforms improve the metrics of public expectations vis a vis the election results. Any reform must eliminate fraud and possibilities of fraud. Several facets of fraud in democratic nations around the world, are found in the voting systems, proportional representation, preferential voting, instant round robin voting, range voting, approval voting, citizen initiatives, referendums and recall elections.
There are a host of factors that need reforms like the voting and vote counting procedures, eligibility to vote, nomination rules, ballot access, scrutiny of elections, monitoring by candidates, political parties, safety of voters and election workers, measures against bribery, coercion, and conflicts of interest, financing of candidates, referendum campaigns and voter turnouts.
Though electoral constituencies and election district borders are defined and redefined periodically, their acceptance has always been questioned by the political parties. Further, a great controversy was centred round the Ballot design and the voting equipment used though everyone now seem to have accepted the electronic voting and counting as fairly robust.
Prior to 2000, The voting age was lowered, personnel working in preparing, revising and correcting the electoral rolls for elections were considered as being on deputation to the EC, the number of proposers and the security deposits were enhanced, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were introduced, candidates were disqualified on conviction, were restricted to contest from not more than two constituencies, were allowed to nominate another candidate on the death of a contesting candidate, arms near polling booths were banned, voters were given a paid holiday on the date of voting, sale of liquor was prohibited for two days before conclusion of poll, bye-elections were held within six months and even the period of campaigning was reduced. Though all of them were good, they did not bring the intended changes in the Indian polity.
We evolve as we grow. Post 2000 too, there were several reforms that came about such as ceiling on election expenditure from no limit to Rs. 50 – 70 lakhs for Lok Sabha elections and Rs. 20 – 28 lakhs for an assembly election, restriction on exit polls so they do not influence the voters, making voting through postal ballot legal, creating awareness campaigns and making it mandatory to declare criminal antecedents, assets, etc.
Still there are several ills like multiple enrolments of the same individual listed as voter at different places. Proposed linking of Aadhar and Voter ID’s will curb such practices. What is however not so convincing, is the Aadhar linking to happen on a voluntary basis. Probably it is also time for the Supreme Court to relook at its decision of 2015 where it ordered that the use of Aadhaar would be optional for availing of welfare schemes.
That the government is seriously thinking electoral reforms is a matter of great interest for we seem to be getting in and out of elections all the time. No election is conducted and completed without some criticism by the stakeholders. Probably freewheeling reforms must include amendment to the Constitution of India, electoral roll matters, election management issues, election officials and logistics, nomination of candidates, de-criminalization of politics, reforms relating to Political Parties, election campaign and advertisements and the election expenses and election petitions.
Our democracy and prevailing laws allow candidates with criminal records to contest, win and even become ministers and law makers. Should this continue? Is an enhanced two-year jail term from the current six months, for those furnishing incorrect information in their poll affidavit adequate? A two-year jail term could bar such candidates from contesting elections for six years.
Currently many ills constitute the way elections are conducted in the country. Huge sums of money spent. Voters are bribed both subtly and blatantly. Election booths are captured, and government machinery misused. Even voters are subjected to violence and intimidation. Both criminalisation of Politics and politicization of criminals is on the rise. It is unfortunate when Political parties field criminals and provide political patronage and protection. Another blatant violation is when non-serious candidates enter the fray in elections to undercut the votes of the rival candidates.
Voting on caste lines, communalism, lack of moral values in Politics skews the entire system of democracy. Is politics Business? Often, we see people entering politics ostensibly to make a difference in the lives of their people but end up making a difference to their own.
A bill on electoral reforms based on the proposed amendments by the Election Commission, was cleared last Wednesday by the Union Cabinet, as the PTI informs. Electoral reforms are long overdue and much needed. However, political scene being what it is in the country, many acerbic debates will happen to decode the proposed reforms. That they will be opposed by a combined opposition is also a given. Healthy discussion is always welcome. If it turns into a political slugfest, the desired outcomes are seldom seen.
That the Aadhaar number will be linked to the Voter ID or making the electoral law ‘gender-neutral’ for service voters or allowing new voters to enrol on four different dates every year as against a current provision that allows only those turning 18 on or before January 1 of every year allowed to register as voters, or extending a service voter facility to both husband and wife by amending the Representation of the People Act related to service voters, will be welcomed by all.
The voting booth joint is a great leveller. The whole neighbourhood – rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky, they all turn out in one day, to vote and to elect the best. Elections and electoral reforms keep up the spirit of democracy and also, of ours.