Election System: Is It Worth It?

Since time immemorial, general elections in India have come a long way & elections in a populous & democratic country like India reflect the federal nature of the
Indian polity & are an indicator of the free economy. Voting is derived from the Latin word " votum" meaning ' to wish for'. Indian voting system has moved from ballot paper onto electronic voting machines (EVMs). Certainly, this has eased and fastened up the polling process but still, there exists a room for improvements. Elections are a mechanism by which people elect their representatives by casting votes & it's a scorecard of India's future. The main aim of conducting elections is to represent the true voice of the poorest of the poor and the common folk.

Present situation

But are citizens & politicians fulfilling their duty aptly? Sadly, elections in India still have a long way to go in this regard. Isn't it ironic that those who can't follow certain rules & guidelines will stand by their vows? Today political parties just want to be in power to accumulate wealth, not for the large cause of society.

Past few decades have seen a great transformation, not in physical terms but culturally, politically and economically. The denial to issue renewed voter cards to migrated people rendering it unable for them to vote is posing a threat to the polling process. The makers of the Constitution granted autonomy to the Election Commission to keep it away from any kind of interference. Yet, we can't ascertain if it's free from political interference. Many people are unable to cast their votes as they are not in their homeland. For tackling this issue, the introduction of e-voting can be a good solution. Reforms in the election process of the country need to be introduced on an urgent basis. Buying of votes in the name of religion & caste demoralises the spirit of democracy. Threatening voters & making false promises poses yet another block to a fair system.

Recently, in 2019 election notices to many political parties were issued for violating the 'model code of conduct' which comes into action once the election dates are announced. Money power is being increasingly used to cater to voters. Rising election budget is another key area where a major chunk of the budget goes into the funding of those candidates who sometimes don't even refrain from using the public domain for their own purposes. Contesting candidates don't declare full & correct information about their financial wealth, education & leave people in the dark. Criminalization of politics is also a critical flaw which is destroying the beauty of the system.

Suggested Reforms

The election commission should bring in a feedback mechanism based on the manifesto of the contesting candidates and make them accountable for the promises they have made to the people during elections. The manifestos can be legalised and should be published in the local dailies as well as official gazettes. Rallies which disrupt the traffic need to be stopped. If the polling process is not transformed, then the election process would merely be a waste of time, money & nation's resources instead of being an asset.