Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath, accompanied by his team of senior offices, has been on a visit to the State in connection with preparations for polling in the State for 26th Lok Sabha. The State will see candidates contesting for six seats in the Lok Sabha for which polling will begin on April 10 and will be conducted through seven phases to come to final end on May 10. There are 69.33 lakh electorates in the State but the number could go up slightly as continuous updating of the electoral rolls was still on. J&K has 9633 polling stations and 92.66 per cent photo electoral rolls.
In a press conference, the CEC answered a barrage of questions put to him by the media all pertaining to the electioneering exercise. The one question which has been recurrently surfacing on the eve of elections in the State ever since the eruption of militancy in 1990, is the boycott call given by the separatists. In previous general election the turnout of voters in Srinagar was only 23 per cent. The fact of the matter is that giving a call for boycotting polling is an inimical act and in contravention of the standing rules of election. However, the CEC said that it was not only Kashmir but there are other places in the country where boycott call for polling is given by political leadership for one reason or the other. On its part, the EC has made all preparations for safe and secure polling in the State since it is the primary responsibility of the EC to ensure that polling commences and ends peacefully without any ugly incident. On this basis the CEC hopes that the turnout for polling will be to capacity. If somebody gives a call for boycott there are others who convince the electorate about the importance and significance of exercising their vote. We know despite call for boycott in the past as well, voters have come out in large numbers and have cast their vote and formed the popular Government. Separatists have been giving boycott calls ever since election process was resumed in 1996 after a long period of militancy. The general feeling is that the electorate in Kashmir has by now understood very well that there can be no alternative to democratic dispensation. People want the separatists to participate in the election and prove their popularity with the masses of people. They have been shunning participation although the CEC assured his audience in the press conference that it had made all necessary arrangements to ensure that elections were free and fair.
A number of questions were put to the CEC relating to parties/persons violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The CEC said that it had received many complaints of different nature relating to fair polling for the parliamentary election. As we know BJP has raised the question of Congress President meeting with Imam Bukhari and termed it violation of MCC. It has demanded suo moto action on this event. However, the CEC said that a written complaint should come to the Commission and then alone it could take proper action. It will be reminded that Congress Chief had appealed the Muslims leaders to avoid Muslim split vote to which BJP had taken exception. BJP has also made a strong complaint that the chopper of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was deliberately delayed at Delhi when he was scheduled to fly to Bareily to address a public gathering. The CEC said that action has been taken on the complaint and Civil Aviation Ministry has been asked to send in its report. Once the report was received, action would follow.
From the nature of questions put to the Commission by the reporters and others, one feels that whereas the Election Commission is doing its best to ensure fair elections, there could be loopholes that need to be plugged. The sum and substance of the replies of Chief Election Commissioner was that the entire civil society needed to understand the importance of free and fair elections to the country. India is the largest democracy in the world. The sheer size of the electorate which is about 813 million is not an ordinary thing to manage. Apart from population, look at the geographical diversity of the country and the demographic distribution that has to be taken care of. For example the Chief Election Commission agreed with a suggestion made by a stakeholder that at far off and rather inaccessible polling stations in the State of J&K, an additional Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) should be kept available so that in case one machine fails to work, polling is not suspended and the other machine is put into service. We have some hilly polling booths where ballot papers are brought by helicopter and ballot boxes are also carried back by helicopters. As years roll by, more and more people in the country will realize the significance and importance of elections and voting for our nation. We need to give due recognition to the Election Commission of India which has proved more than once that it is discharging its duty with utmost efficiency, impartiality and honesty. Observers from all over the world will come to witness the electioneering process in our country beginning April 7. The world has recognized the transparency and impartiality with which polling is conducted in the length and breadth of the country.
Obviously in such a stupendous exercise, there are some shortcomings here or there. That happens even in much advanced democracies as well. But it is the general tone and tenor of the polling exercise that matters. Polling is to be held for the 26th Lok Sabha. By now India democracy has matured fairly well and it can absorb shocks and surprises with poise. CEC has advised all concerned that impartiality has to be observed at all cost and nothing that would be prejudicial to stakeholders should be allowed to happen. In various instances, where it was required, the CEC has taken the strictest measure of removing a functionary if it is convinced that his or her approach has not been above board. J&K is a sensitive state in many respects and the CEC has taken all steps to ensure that the electorate will have no complaint.
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