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4月25日 New EVMs only record vote...Improved EVMs record vote, but do they prevent booth capturing? http://elections.ndtv.com/news_story.aspx?ID=NEWEN20090089849&keyword=election&ch=462009105800AM
Physical security and alertness on part of all parties is the only way that recording of votes is not falsified. Or that booth capturing does not take place.
My earliest memories on voting, probably in the assembly elections, are that of booth capture. Its quite sickening when after voting, one hears at the end of the day that booth capturing occured and votes were duplicated. With EVM's booth capturing is the only way that votes can be tampered with.Esp. when the poll officers may not be honest. Local schools with poll officers from localites will manipulate if they all belong to the same colour.
Sometime in the past decade I had tried to change my constituency for voter registration. Only to be threatened at the local polling office. After tons of complaints at the Mantralaya, I still retain my voting card for my old constituency. Which as they explained to me is my permanent native place.
Electoral politics can be the most corrupt, dirty and worst kind of politics that we witness. The country votes honestly and lets hope that the counting happens honestly. Though in the Indian democracy that too causes problems. A divided vote is no vote. If the people vote decisively for one party instead of the bevy of parties, we will avoid a hung assembly and coalition politics.
4月17日 Negative CampaigningIs negative campaigning here to stay? Indian voters have never witnessed so much mudslinging in Indian electoral history.
Is this going to be the most bitterly fought election ever?
Negative campigning is a tactic adopted by political parties. It involves playing dirty tricks, mudslinging or pointing out negative characteristics of opponents. It is a sign of desperation. Or a sign that stakes are very high.
Flawed democracy is the latest characteristic attributed to India by 'The Economist'.
Critics attribute this to the fact that the PM is nominated by the last government. However, the Indian constitution gives the party staking a claim to form the government, the right to nominate any person the PM, elected or otherwise. The PM can contest and win a seat post election, to become an MP.
Negative campaigning is used by parties to turn off voters who are undecided. They use tactics to push their loyalists to vote for them. Therefore, a lot of voters who decide on the basis of campaigning or performance and are likey to change their votes, usually get put off by the mudslinging and stay away from the elections. Only those who strongly believe in the party will then participate in the hate speeches, the sloganeering, and continue to turn up for voting. You have to be brash to vote. Intellectuals not welcome. That is what a negative campaign results in.
Inspite of the shadow of the gun, Indian voters gave an average of 50% voting in the first phase.
4月15日 Separatism finds a voice in electionsIndeed, the Kashmiris desiring separatism have finally realised that democracy is the only true way to get themselves heard. Sajjad Lone's courageous decision should be welcomed and yet taken with a pinch of salt.
Sajjad Lone says and I quote, "I undertook a detailed study and put forth a Vision Document, "Achievable Nationhood", which has enshrined a legal, political, and economic set of undeniable prescriptions that I believe articulate an attainable way forward for the people of Kashmir, India and Pakistan. I have advocated for the achievement of a completely new state of affairs in Kashmir that encompasses all our sovereign aspirations, rights and responsibilities towards a bright, just, and prosperous future."
What makes him think that Kashmir cannot have a bright prosperous future within the bounds of Indian constitution? I do not believe that Kashmir needs to be a sovereign state for its people to progress or to fulfill their 'kashmirihood'. The feeling of being a Kashmiri comes from racial descent and not political identity. At the same time, they do have this identity which is solely their own. But they also have a larger shared identity - that of being an Indian, which they need to be proud of.
Indian democracy gives enough space to people to express and fulfill their regional aspirations. Maharashtra, and Gujarat formed in 1956, after being carved out of the state of Bombay, is an example. A Marathi and the Gujarati stand proud as they communicate in their mother tongue, and allow their cultural, political and economic ambitions to flourish as they embrace both the Indian and regional idenitity. Kashmir can be as progressive. The Kashmiris have to realize that they cannot spoil the dreams, lives and ambitions of their younger generation for creating an entity which will never be secure or as progressive or stable without the bounds of Indian constitution. If states like Pakistan can fail, a smaller state in Kashmir's geopolitical area will be swallowed whole by China or worse, become a putty in US or other foreign hand -like Iran or a muslim power.
It is in the Kashmiri interest to engage in a dialogue for its people, for the realization of these ambitions. Thus, Sajjad Lone has to be applauded and welcomed for his decision taking part in the democratic process. At the same time, he must also come with an open mind. A mind which is willing to create a greater future for the poeple of Jammu and Kashmir, greater and better then any separatist movement ever would. 4月14日 Role of media and boycotting elections... Its a pity. Yesterday I spent the day going around town to find that all election activities are happening only inside the large electoral offices. No passionate speeches, no door to door canvassing. Are the elections only on t.v.?
So, at 9 pm I switched on the tv. Only to watch inane debates on whether the Gandhi scion is getting married or becoming PM!!! Hopefully, that is not the deciding factor. The exception is the Gandhi wannabe brides. Another vote bank to cash in. Sad, that it should occupy prime time bytes. Two 'very distinguished' personalities - Suhel Seth, a political columnist and Jayanthi Natarajan actually debated this issue.
I started switching channels. Three out of five news channels were airing inane stories on the branding of the Gandhi siblings.
And those who aired the candidate interviews were no better - Manmohan Sngh pumelling Advani, Advani kickboxing back, Rahul aiding Singh, Modi jumping in the ring...these elections are one funny round.
The media needs to focus more on issues or round ups at prime time, rather then indulge in politicking. There are some good debates on the progress report of the government. The one to one or round table discussions with a good facilitator are interesting. When filtered from the mudslinging, which is now a part and parcel of headline grabbing tactics.
The media also has fewer poll pundits this time around. Whatever happened to the hour by hour pre-poll analysis? Or is it too expensive now? Live coverage is more focussed on election rallies. Other then 'aaj tak's' vote guru, there have been very few reports on what the electorate think and believe. Fewer organised shows on which issues will become the deciding factors. Are we as a nation unable to identify crucial issues that should influenceour vote? Issues will differ from constituency to constituency, from region to region, from state to state. Few issues can be termed as national issues other then recession. This exercise should have been started by the media a year back. But most of our media channels are busy heyperventilating on non-breaking news. Paranoid reporters with crazy headlines.
For Mumbai, we can be certain that the terror attack is a decisive factor. So much so, that Congress bigwigs have to still come and canvass in any loud way. The question is, should Mumbai vote? Or should we boycott? I am tempted to boycott. Protest at the inaction or lack of any concrete measures taken in the aftermath of terror attacks. VT station still has inactive security measures. The police stand by and chat, while the beepers in one lone secure doorway are off. Even if I had carried a loaded handgun, I could have easliy walked in and out of the station at all times.
The opposition, across all colours, has done little to tell how it is going to act. It is busy playing the communal card and thinking of internal draconian acts. Rather then suggest or be at one with the nation to get Pakistan's apology, which by the way is still not given. As the people were reminded of the shameful response to Kandahar, or the loss of lives at Akshardham, I doubt if BJP would have responded differently.
Indeed the decision to act or send in commandos came only a day later, at whose behest? I still remember watching this live on tv with some Manipuri friends from Calcutta. Suddenly, it was as if Manipur extremism had come to Mumbai, they said. The NE youth flee the NE to avoid terrorism, or so they claim. But really it is not any different here anymore. And this is Mumbai.
It's true. Mumbaikars need to boycott elections, if nothing else,then to teach a lesson to all politicians.
Let us see what the vote percentage in Mumbai is going to be like.
4月11日 Elections 2009The election season gets hotter. After all it is the largest democracy in the world, going through the largest election process. With mind-boggling numbers, which can keep statisticians busy for the next five years, when it will be time for the next election. Unless, we have a mid-term!
Now that Manmohan Singh is in an unusually aggressive and outspoken mood, Advani sounds tame. It's surprising to see politicians of their stature trading charges. While both are critical of each other's policies and idealogies or lack of it, response and counter-response is normally not expected. But then, this is election time and the media is trying to spice up headlines by seeking these responses. BJP is spending humongous amounts on ads, internet or tv as well as leaflets, prints and what have you. However, the only thrust in the campaign is a face. BJP is marketing Advani. A fine example of personality dominance in this election.
What is remarkable about Election 2009 is the role of the media - the tv channels are airing everything from antics, accusations to live tv debates. However, it is sad to see debates on frivolous issues , which then becomes a war of words. If both perties were asked questions related to policies and plans, then the debates would be more influential. Instead it becomes an hour of entertainment as each politician tries to outshine the other.
In Maharashtra, the votebanks are very fluid this time. MNS has become a stronger force and has eroded into Shiv Sena's votebank like never before. Shiv Sena has become less rightist and is veering towards a party for the affluent Marathi populace, while the MNS is making an impact at a the lower and middle strata of society. People who are still rooted deeply in the marathi culture and have not developed a national outlook, let alone international. The reason that MNS is successful is not just because of the Thackeray factor. But because it has understood the mood of the local marathi people. The second reason is, that it has simply used the local party structure of the Shiv Sena. The Shiv Sena set up local committees in every 'area' - local 'shahkha' or a branch. It created a huge base at the grassroots. If you have a marathi maid working for you , she will be bound to take a monthly holiday on a Sunday. The reason she will give you is, that she is required to attend a meeting. This meeting is the point of contact for these parties. The people meet to vent their grievances, like complain about the boss who is rude to the marathis or the lady who has invited guests from Bihar and is giving them things!! Or the outstation students who have now got well paid jobs, immediately after exams. Issues such as medical aid, cooking gas and electricity or lack of it, are also discussed. These are the meetings where future strategy on protests is set. Grievances are noted and conveyed by the shahkha in-charge to their higher ups. Party policies are then decided on these issues. Mind you, these meetings are aimed at resolving issues. But very often they just become an information gathering network. They rarely lead to balanced solutions due to lack of effective or mature leadership at this level. At this level, they have the yes -men of the party. This is a structure which should be used positively, as it is a very democratic strucutre. But when misused, it can create frustrations and hatred, leading to extortions and riots.
One question that becomes difficult to answer in a multi-party democracy is whether the number of political parties should be limited. Indians have long given up the hope of having a single party government. Hung assemblies and coalitions rule the roost, leading to huge compromises on issues. Coalition politics is the dirtiest politics ever witnessed. It shows the naked desire for the poor being played out in a very undignified manner. Only an experienced and an intelligent leadership can manage a coalition government. But it is better to have independents than have too many parties. It confuses the voter, divides the votebank and makes decisions tougher all round.
On a lighter note, should shoes be banned in all meetings?
The Iraqi journalist who threw a shoe at Bush had no idea about the trend that he set. In India, that is. Politicians will have to be trained to wield shoe attacks. Take the case of the villager - he just vented his frustration at the empty words that he heard from Jindal, the local representative. It is representative of the disconnect between people and leadership. The next shoe might be hurled at a corporate meeting. Perhaps, all future gatherings should ask for people to leave their shoes outside - maybe its not possible in public meetings. But it is possible in smaller indoor forums, like a press conference. It is the rule at a temple and even some shops and houses, to take off shoes before you enter. It is a mark of respect, precisely what is needed at such meetings. And lacking when the shoe is hurled.
4月10日 Vote for our country' sake Indian elections determinants include
1. Personality politics - Dynasty and Star appeal - Sanjay Dutt, in his Munna bhai style, made it seem that going to jail or suffering for subversive activities is good or heroic. If it happened to him, it is ok. This could have a negative impact. While sometimes, police atrocities are a fact, in his case, he should take a responsible attitude and avoid making his jail yatras sound heroic. Mayawati ensured that she presided over Shivaji Park on a throne and pretended that she was in a darbar. She even received gifts of gold and silver from admirers.
2. Cultural and Religious factors - Islamic / Hindu / Christian parties - BJP's election is based on rath yatra - a concept meant only for gods. It is reflective of what some of these leaders think of themselves as - 'avatars' of Hindu gods, perhaps.
3. Regional factors - Yesterday, Raj Thackeray demanded a 100% reservation for locals...based on the report that the Himachal Pradesh government is sanctioning government projects only if there is an 80% reservation for locals. His definition of locals may extend only to 100% marathi manoos. And this was interspersed by some mudslinging on BJP for encouraging north Indians.
Most of these are non- issues as far as progress and development are concerned. What is the basis on which the Indian electorate will select? What will they vote for? Who will they vote for should be determined not by the polish, or lack of it, in a candidate but on what he talks about and what his thoughts are.
4月9日 Comments on election campaign Oxford Bookstore, at Churchgate, has a chai bar - and it serves strong eye opening dhaba chai, called truck drivers chai, for an astronomical figure of 30/- Served in the cutting chai glass with a silver glass / cup holder. It's also the cheapest on the menu.
The kind of chai that Rahul Gandhi probably had for free in Orissa last night, while campaigning. The tv crew did not show him paying for the tea. While I am sure that the tea stall owner served it on the house, he was definitely not inivited - it was his choice to have a cup of refreshing tea in the middle of the night - to stay awake probably. What if he had paid for it? Would it be considered as cash for vote? Imagine a close up of Rahul fishing out some money(if he carries any), or his security paying the tea stall owner in cash - without any background context. What if there were such footage of him without any background context? What if this video was submitted to the EC ? All that is hypothetical - but the issue remains, inspite of the stringent code, politicians find a loophole somewhere somehow. And if it was an attention gainer, it worked. He does need that, as the rather strong Patnaik presence almost makes it a dynasty versus a dynasty. Likewise in Andhra.
Yesterday Mayawati was in town. And the traffic jams, the swaggering city youth, the rush of north Indians ( yes, the city vote is polarized between north Indians, mumbaikars, and south Indians) to the city grounds were not the only indications of her presence. One had to put up with her rather loud Hindi expletives and gaon ki bhasha - 'watch your language ma'm', is all I have to say to her!
BSP is no longer using the caste card - but the brahmins are and irrespective of their origin(north, mumbaikars or south), they are likely to vote enmasse for bjp-shivsena). Brahmins have one '-ism' that they espouse - that of 'casteism' and being an upper caste, they consider themsleves as demi-gods.
There are a few demi-gods contesting this election as well - Chiranjeevi aiming to replace NTR, is the big divider of the Andhra votebank. Jayalalitha, another demi-goddess, is almost supporting Vaiko by her serious consideration of the Tamil Eelam movement. Obviously, the LTTE movement has now threatened the Tamil populace in the south. A dormant volcano which must die a quick, painless death.Another demand for a regional identity - tamils probably feel 'nationhood', but they should not love themsleves so much that they isolate themsleves from rest of the Indian people. They are a part of the Indian Union, the sooner they recognize that being Dravidian is super, but not superior, they will have matured to the level expected of them.
4月6日 On election campaigns
An election which will be held in the shadow of hate speech, violence, death threats and more is hardly what the nation ever wanted. Let us just pray that it gets over without any spectacular suicide attempt or any other loss. |
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