The Odisha Election Watch (OEW), State chapter of the National Election Watch, and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) urged all political parties to bar leaders with serious criminal background from contesting the upcoming elections.
OEW State coordinator Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, addressing a Press meet here on Friday, said banning criminals from contesting elections is not only a necessity for the welfare of the nation, but a means to safeguard the integrity of the Parliament and Legislative Assemblies.
If people with criminal records are allowed to contest elections, they may use unethical means to force people to vote for them. This will increase violence in elections and throw a challenge to free and fair elections. As a result, very fundamental basis of democracy will be at stake, he added.
He also urged the parties to not nominate such persons to contest elections on their behalf in the forthcoming general election and election to the Odisha State Legislative Assembly. He also demanded the parties to disclose the criteria on which candidates are given tickets.
Mohanty told that while 27 per cent of sitting Odisha MLAs have criminal cases against them, while at the national-level 21 per cent of elected representatives have criminal records. He disclosed that a massive voter’s awareness campaign, entitled, “My Vote My Country: My Vote not for Sale” would be launched in October in the Odisha.
Mohanty further informed that the campaign would be conducted in different villages and cities covering all the 30 districts through mobile van using audio visual materials, folk media, street play, different cultural actions, posters, pamphlets, workshops and awareness meeting.
The organisation would also launch a campaign “Hum Badlenge Apnaa Bharat” to motivate the young children in improving the situation after entering the voting age.
On a pilot basis, the campaign would be undertaken in 100 higher secondary education institutions of Odisha for Class-XI and XII students, Mohanty added.
Among others, former Chief Secretary Sahadeva Sahoo, former Health Services Director Dr Seba Mohapatra, Doordarshan former Director Baikunthanath Panigrahi and social activist Kshyamakar Swain were present.