Tag Archives: election

Elections in India

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It was election day in Delhi yesterday. Mr. Naveen Chawla, The Chief of Election Commission of India also went to vote and found that his name was not in the list. His name was in the deleted list. It became news and all the TV channels started talking about it. The employees of Election Commission did something and finally Mr. Naveen Chawla voted. It has always been a issue for general people that they go to vote and find that their name is not present in the voting list. How can this happen that they forget the name of the Chief of the Election Commission of India?

Later Mr. Chawla said that there was some confusion because he had changed his apartment a few months ago and that is why his name was also shifted to the other list. But everybody knows that it was only an excuse. Media people were saying that they had seen the list and his name was in the deleted list. Well, whatever the reason was, the Election Commission of India should not say anymore that they can organize elections well. Now it is good evidence for the world that proves the quality of elections in India.

Voting Day 2009 in Varanasi

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Voting day in Benares was on the 16th. Everyone was supposed to have a voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India, but once again this year, not everyone received theirs, including me. Three days before the elections, I read in the newspaper that voters could use 16 different types of documents instead of the voter ID card. Since I didn’t have a voter ID, I went to vote with my ration card and PAN card (income tax card). I first went to Assi Crossing, where assistance centers for all the major political parties were set up. This year, there were four assistance centers: BJP, Congress, SP, and BSP. I needed to get a slip with my serial number from any of these centers to verify my name on the voting list.

I chose the Congress counter because it had the least number of people, whereas the BJP counter was the most crowded. After getting my slip at the Congress counter, I decided to visit the other counters as well. At the Congress Party counter, I saw something quite unusual: they were offering breakfast to people visiting their counter, which is an illegal activity. The counter was on the main road, but the breakfast was served inside a room. They encouraged people to go inside, have breakfast, and then vote for Congress. It was surprising to see how many people switched their support this year. Those who were at the BJP counter during the last elections were now at the SP counter. It’s amazing how quickly political allegiances can change.

The BJP candidate, Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi, called me a day before the election. Usually, political campaigns use automated calls, but this one seemed personal. At first, I thought it was a computer call, but the responses matched my questions, so I believe it was Mr. Joshi himself. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry and couldn’t talk to him much. I would have liked to have a longer conversation with him. Mr. Joshi asked me to vote for a suitable candidate. While he never explicitly asked me to vote for him, he did identify himself at the end of the call, which was a clear hint. Since he was my preferred candidate, I voted for him, though I would have liked to ask him some questions before casting my vote. Maybe next time.

When I went to vote, I noticed there was less security than usual. There were only four or five security guards at the polling booth, whereas polling booths are typically guarded more heavily. Various party representatives were urging me to vote for their respective parties. Some individuals had Fevicol (a type of adhesive) and other chemicals, advising me to apply them to my finger before voting so I could remove the ink easily and vote multiple times for their party later in the day. They were also keeping track of those who hadn’t voted yet and planned to send someone to vote in their names. Despite these manipulations, I was content to vote only in my name.

Samajwadi Party’s Manifesto 2009

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Politics in India is particularly heated right now, with all major parties releasing their manifestos for the upcoming elections. Recently, the Samajwadi Party unveiled its manifesto in Lucknow. The party’s chief, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, made some controversial statements. He proposed banning computers, English-medium schools, the stock market, harvesting machines, and high corporate salaries. His rationale seems to be that these elements create unemployment and contribute to inequality.

I believe that rather than banning English, efforts should be made to promote and strengthen Hindi. India’s global competitiveness is partly due to our proficiency in English, which is a significant advantage over countries like China. If English were banned, it could harm our international standing. Moreover, many top Indian leaders, including the Prime Minister and President, often speak English in their addresses. It would be more constructive to advocate for the use of Hindi without eliminating English.

Interestingly, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son, was educated in English-medium schools. It seems inconsistent for Mr. Mulayam Singh to advocate for banning such schools when his own family has benefited from them. Instead of eliminating English education, the focus should be on prioritizing Hindi while maintaining the importance of English. Moreover, banning computers is an absurd idea in the 21st century when digital technology is crucial for progress.

Computers play a significant role in various sectors, including the IT industry, which is a major contributor to India’s economy. The manifesto itself was likely printed using computers, highlighting the hypocrisy of such a ban. During Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s previous tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, allegations of corruption surfaced. A committee led by Mayawati discovered that thousands of police jobs were given in exchange for bribes, leading to their dismissal. Banning computers might hinder transparency and anti-corruption efforts by eliminating digital records.

Mr. Yadav’s disdain for the stock market also raises questions. Politicians are required to declare their assets, and investments in the stock market must be disclosed. By opposing the stock market, Mr. Yadav might be attempting to obscure financial dealings and evade scrutiny. Corrupt practices, such as stashing money in Swiss banks, are prevalent, and the stock market provides a transparent mechanism for tracking investments. Additionally, the manifesto’s stance on harvesting machines reflects a lack of understanding.

These machines increase agricultural efficiency and productivity, which is crucial for a country with a large agricultural sector. The Samajwadi Party’s focus on destroying such technology seems contradictory, especially when considering other significant issues like preserving cultural heritage. Ultimately, it seems that the Samajwadi Party’s manifesto is more about appealing to certain voter demographics rather than addressing substantive issues. Instead of targeting technological and educational advancements, political leaders should focus on improving education quality, reducing corruption, and preserving cultural landmarks.

As the saying goes, “Vote ke liye sala kuch bhi karega…” – for votes, they will say anything.

Voting in Indian elections

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Many people have decided not to vote in this year’s elections due to frustration with the current government. I was among those considering abstaining from voting. However, I recently discovered an interesting option: even if you choose not to vote, you can still visit the election booth and inform the officer of your decision. They will then record your refusal in a special register designated for individuals who opt out of voting. This ensures that no one else can cast a vote in your name.

Political parties maintain detailed lists of voters in their constituencies and closely monitor voter turnout. To facilitate the voting process, they set up booths near polling stations where voters can collect a slip containing their name, address, and other necessary details. Without this slip, individuals cannot vote. Consequently, party workers at these booths know which voters have cast their ballots and which have not.

As the voting period nears its end, parties often identify those who haven’t voted and send representatives to vote on their behalf. This can lead to instances where individuals discover that their vote has already been cast by someone else, making it difficult to contest. The new system of formally registering a refusal to vote can be a valuable tool to prevent such misuse. By officially recording your decision not to vote, you ensure that your name remains protected from being used fraudulently.

For those who have lost faith in the electoral process but still want to ensure their vote is not misused, this option provides a safeguard. I encourage everyone who chooses not to vote to use this system to secure their rights and prevent any potential abuse.

822-year-old-living person

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Elections are approaching, and the Election Commission of India is working diligently to issue voter ID cards to all eligible voters. This is a relatively new requirement in India, where having a voter ID card is now mandatory to vote. The government frequently announces that anyone without a voter ID card will be barred from voting. However, just days before the elections, the Election Commission often reports that individuals without voter IDs can still participate, due to their inability to reach everyone in time. Despite substantial expenditure on this project, the results have been far from successful.

Alarmingly, nearly 50% of the voter ID cards issued contain incorrect information or printing errors. For example, Amar Ujala, a prominent Hindi newspaper, reported today (08/04/09) that the Election Commission issued a voter ID card to someone named Ballu from Muradabad, with his age mistakenly recorded as 822 years old. Ballu, having received this erroneous card, faces a dilemma: with elections just around the corner, he is unlikely to have the time to rectify the mistake before voting. He will use the card as-is and vote as an 822-year-old. Similarly, voter ID cards were issued to individuals named Nanhi and Khurseed, inaccurately recorded as two years old.

They, too, will use their incorrect IDs to cast votes. Another significant error involved the issuance of 424 voter ID cards to one address, implying that there are 424 residents from the same family living at that address, which is clearly incorrect. When I received my first voter ID card, I found that my father’s name was printed incorrectly, and my address was wrong. I was advised to wait until a month before the next elections, which would be five years later, to address the issue. Despite being issued by the government, voter ID cards are often not accepted as valid proof of residence or identity by any institution, whether public or private, due to these persistent errors.

On March 24th, the Times of India reported a similar mistake where a voter ID card was issued to a twelve-year-old girl. It is concerning that while the Indian government struggles with basic tasks like issuing accurate voter ID cards, it plans to build nuclear power plants. If the government cannot manage something as fundamental as voter identification, it raises doubts about its capability to handle complex and critical projects like nuclear power. The frequent errors and inefficiencies in the voter ID system suggest that India may not yet be fully prepared to tackle such high-stakes projects, where there is little room for error and significant challenges in managing nuclear waste and safety.