The Indian Republic today stands fully geared up for the 16th Lok Sabha elections. But despite all the preparations the Election Commission with its countrywide network has made, it seems difficult for the electorate to feel that the elections would go free and fair. Your magazine (Radiance, 23-29 March) editorially drew the attention of the nation to ‘curb the paid news phenomenon’ which is still hampering the free and smooth electoral process. But it seems paid news is not the only evil being practised rather brazenly by the various quarters.
There is no denying the fact that the advancement of science and technology has given us much ease but in some cases it has created the possibility of erosion of certain values. The introduction of EVMs (electronic voting machines) in the electoral process has certainly facilitated this mega democratic exercise. But the report that an EVM during a mandatory mock poll at Jorhat in Assam on 1 April stunned all when ‘every time a button was pressed, the vote went in favour of BJP’ strengthens this view. It is yet to ascertain whether or not the EC took the suppliers of such faulty EVMs to task but it is believed that the mandatory mock polls at other places must have ensured that the actual polling must not go the Jorhat mock poll way.
Another disquieting development is that some ‘polling officials in Delhi and NCR are ready to facilitate bogus voting in exchange for money’. The Aaj Tak sting revelation that BLOs (booth level officers) and Assistant Electoral Returning officers in Delhi, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida and Dadri are allegedly providing fake voter IDs for as low as Rs.1,000-1,500 a person. The report also reveals that they are guiding the desirous on how to erase the blue ink one gets after casting the vote with the help of some chemicals or even some desi fluids. Many shopkeepers in Delhi’s Chowri Bazar area are allegedly selling such chemicals. Not to say of Delhi and NCR alone, Hyderabad has also earned the disrepute of having fake voters in certain areas like Yakutpura and a regional political party there has demanded a CBI enquiry into the case.
Besides, many candidates belonging to major parties like BJP, Congress and AAP have criminal cases pending before them. And it is only AAP which has taken action against them by withdrawing the candidature of 15 such candidates so far. Let’s hope that the Lok Sabha elections starting from 7 April will go free, fair and peaceful and the entire State machinery will ensure a better Lok Sabha this time.