ELECTORAL BALLOT IN INDIA – CASTING ONE’S VOTE

To vote is ones right as well duty we are told in the Indian Constitution. But at the time of elections an educated citizen is always faced with the problem of whom to vote. Cast he ust his vote, but to whom. Whether it is the Lok Sabha elections or elections to the State Assembly, the election campaigning is all about false promises, noise, din and sops. But voting is a great responsibility because we are going to select Members who are our representatives in the Government for the next 5 years. This means that there is a lot of maturity and responsibility vested in us, the citizens of this Country.

But in many of the cases we know only the names of the person standing for a few of the known parties. But apart from this fact , we hardly come to know any other details. If the candidate is a public figure, a philanthropist we may know him, but this is hardly a case in our electoral scene. Therefore there is a need to reform this system.

The election campaign should only consist of publishing all about the person so standing for the elections. He or She should issue newspaper advertisements giving their personal details, those which are necessary to let the public know such as their age, educational qualification, family size etc.; what they propose to do once they are elected; if they are standing for re-election, what they have achieved during the last tenure; if they are new, what is their credibility or public service done so far etc.. This should be published in all the newspapers and periodicals, national, regional and local. Sometimes it may happen that the claims or promises given by the candidate could be exaggerated. Therefore the newspapers or periodicals must verify these facts, if necessary, interview the candidate again and again to clarify the issue during the run-up to the elections. Prominent people can write in what they about the candidate in the media. But all these must be done impartially with no ulterior expectations. There is no need for the candidate to indulge in populist sops, free schemes and loud announcements. The candidate and the party he is representing can give such media insertions alternatively. This way we can avoid the power of money during the elections. We can avoid a lot of violence, not to mention the noise pollution. It will make the election scene in India a lot more decent, calmer and worthy of appreciation the world over. A candidate selected out of such an exercise will be lot more accountable in his actions and truly representative of the people.