The main and most important factor ailing, vitiating and contaminating the election process is the abuse of money power.
The abuse manifests in connotational facets like luring the impecunious to vote for the unscrupulous lots indirectly ridiculing their predicaments intimidation of the voters, rigging, booth capturing, post-election violence as such all these obnoxious things are directly or indirectly caused by the money power. Criminalization of politics and criminality by the candidate poses a great threat to democracy. Coercion and compulsion resulting in election of undeserving candidates to govern make the process
a farce only. A system is bound to be a sick system if infested by such obnoxious things and the process becomes a farce.
As a logical corollary, if the beginning is maledictory, the outcome is bound to be toxic. It has to be discussed, discerned and delineated in transparent and clear language as how to break this vicious cycle. It is easier said than done. To purify the process hitherto contaminated with anathematic things and to initiate a paradigmatic change requires sincerity of purpose and perfect implementation.
The factors contaminating the electoral process revolve around the points as stated above. Even certain other factors like playing divisive cards of caste, language and religion etc, offering/promising freebies to lure voters and other electoral malpractices also provide roadblocks. Cleavage based voting factors and some spatial issues also influence the process negatively. A meaningful reform has to take into accounts all these factors to initiate the change. The impact and severity of all these factors have to be deciphered in detail and cogitated to refurbish the most important process of the country. Many steps have been taken by the election commission of India, Hon’ble Apex Court and legislature to imbibe change through reform. Even different commissions set up, have submitted their reports in this regard.
Hon’ble Apex Court in many a case has delivered landmark judgments for positive changes in Union of India vrs Association of Democratic reform, 2002, Hon’ble Supreme Court dealt with the matter that contesting candidates would disclose all their assets, liabilities and facts in regard to criminal conviction etc at the time of filing nominations. In Lily Thomas vs Union of India, 2013, the order was passed in regard to conviction (of the candidate) in a crime and disqualification including losing membership of the House.
In People's Union of Civil Liberties vs Union of India, 2013, the decision regarding voters' right to negatively vote in the election process including NOTA (None Of The Above) in the ballot paper was passed. These decisions had far reaching effects on the election process. Many committees like vohra committee (1993) Indrajit Gupta Committee (State funding of election) Law Commission report (on reform of electoral law) 1999 and Election Commission of India’s report, 2004 (proposed electoral reforms) also touched upon many essential points. The plethora of pervasive reports remind me of some lines from S.T. Coleridge’s. ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’- “water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink”. With plenty of reports around, we still stand on the brink of impurity. The latest point under deliberation and discussion (in subjudice in Hon’ble Apex Court) is regarding distribution of freebies with taxpayers money to enteric the voters.
But an in depth study would reveal that all our reforms and endeavour to gush in fresh air of change though have touched some issues or other but have not touched the core point to bring out the cherished remedy. Unless and until there is a direct attack on the abuse of money power, criminalization of politics, the divisive factors like caste, language, religion and customs etc and distribution of freebies with taxpayers money etc the desired reform cannot be effected upon.
While addressing the most complicated task (purity the election process), certain facts are to be kept in mind, so that a solution, however difficult it may be, would be pragmatic and effective. The size of our nation, demographic factors (population dynamics), the diversities prevalent, (in regard to caste, religion legion language and culture) the size of population below poverty line, literacy rate, increasing crime rate and criminalization of politics and abuse of money power and its dimensions and ramifications are to be thoroughly studied and analyzed before taking up reforms suitable, acceptable and desirable.
(The author is a superannuated senior IAS officer. The views expressed are personal)