Participation in democracy touched its lowest point in the history of municipal elections with more than 80 per cent people preferring to abstain from voting thus underscoring the need to find the reasons for abysmally low participation in democratic processes.
The low turnout made the State Election Commissioner bare its heart out about the possible reasons that discouraged people from exercising their franchise in the election. Gap in people’s expectations and failure of institutions to deliver among others could be the reason for apathetic voters.“People’s expectations are not being fulfilled by institutions that is the reason people did not turn up to vote,” said State Election Commissioner Shiv Basant.
Notably, the mayoral election registered only 17.72 per cent turnout compared to about 30 per cent in the earlier polls conducted in 2013. Interestingly, gap in the turnout from earlier election is a result of the election conducted only for electing mayor for Ranchi Municipal Corporation.“last election was held for electing ward councilor as well as Mayor so that could be the reason for a higher turnout,” maintained Basant.
Even as the commissioner elucidated reasons in views for a decline in voting percentage candidates are scratching their heads to figure about secrets of voter’s apathy. From a poor election campaign to less importance accorded to a municipal body by State government, the reasons vacillated from one end of the spectrum to another.
“Government has never given importance to RMC which is the reason the municipal body could not do a lot of work. May be because of this voters also shunned their voting rights in the mayoral election,” pointed out mayoral candidate Rama Khalkho.Being an institution at the bottom of the pyramid of democracy the institution and its elected members supposedly lack the glamour and clout that is attached with a representative to a state assembly or the Parliament. Too much belief in the high and mighty pushing for people’s case in higher institutions in the view of few candidates has worked against the representatives to a lower institution like a municipal body.
“Why would someone vote when the institution has been made subservient to the State governmentIJ Elected representatives of a municipal body cannot work freely under the present system and that was the reason that most of the works could not be done. See the result, people did not pay attention to our request,’ said lokesh Khalho, a candidate in the race for the post of Mayor.