World looks forward to learn from Indian elections

ASHOK B SHARMA*

The world is anxiously awaiting the results of the 16^th general elections in India, the largest democracy and one of the emerging economy. Apart from several power centres in the multi-polar geo-politics, countries which are eager to learn from the experiences of Indian democracy are patiently waiting for the outcome on May16.

Over past 64 years Indian democracy has attained a level of maturity. Recently in the midst of the poll process in the country, 30 participants from Bhutan, Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives, Palestine, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Yemen participated in the third course on election management conducted by the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM), a body set up by the Election Commission of India.

Some of the countries like El Salvador, Ethiopia, Maldives, Palestine, South Sudan and Sudan have participated in earlier courses conducted by IIIDEM. India has also extended its expertise in conducting polls in Afghanistan.

First such course for foreign participants on poll management was conducted by IIIDEM in October 2012 where 28 participants from 18 countries from Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean attended the programme. These countries include, Cambodia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Niger, Palestine, Panama, Sudan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In the second course held in April 2013, 30 senior officials from 19 countries including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Cambodia, Gambia, Ghana, Lebanon, Lithuania, Palestine, Peru, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago and Uzbekistan participated.

The courses are conducted under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The courses cover various aspects of election management and includes field level exposure to Election Commission of India’s poll machinery. Special courses are designed for mid-career election officials of India’s ITEC-partner countries. The ITEC programme is designed for South-South cooperation.

The world is watching with interest India’s experiment with parliamentary democracy with an estimated 814,591,184 registered voters in 2014, including 387,911,330 female voters and 28,341 trans genders to elect 543 members of Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the Indian Parliament. There are 23,161,269 first time and young voters within the age group 18-19 years. There are 6 recognised national parties, 47 recognised state parties and 1563 other registered parties in 2014 poll fray.

Indian parliamentary democracy has evolved since Independence in August 15, 1947, recognizing the need for universal adult franchise. The Election Commission was formally constituted in January 25, 1950, one day before India became a Sovereign Democratic Republic. The first Chief Election Commissioner, Sukumar Sen was appointed in March 21, 1950. Since then till October 16, 1989, the Commission functioned as a single member body.

From October 16, 1989 to January 1, 1990, it was converted into a three-member body but on January 1, 1990, it reverted to the system of single member body. However, since October 1, 1993, the Commission is regularly functioning as a three-member body.

For the first and second general elections in 1951-52 and 1957, the Election Commission adopted the Balloting System of voting under which every candidate was allotted a separate ballot box at each polling station in a screened compartment and the voter was required only to drop his ballot paper into the ballot box of the candidate of his choice.

With a view to improve the system and check fraudulant voting from the third general elections in 1962 onwards, the Commission switched over to “marking system” of voting under which a common ballot paper containing the names and election symbols of all contesting candidates is printed on which the voter has to put a mark with an arrow cross mark rubber stamp on or near the symbol of the candidate of his choice. All the arked ballot papers are put into a common ballot box.

Further improvement in voting system was seen with the introduction of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) which were used for the first time in part of Parur Assembly Constituency in Kerala in 1982 on experimental basis. Later, the extensive use of EVMs began in 1998. The EVMs were used at all polling stations in the country in the 14^thgeneral elections to the Lok Sabha in 2004 for the first time. Since then all elections to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies have been held using EVMs. However, there was some complaints about manipulations of EVMs in the last 15^th general elections. The Commission, therefore, decided to use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system along with the EVMs in select constituencies in the 16^th general elections in 2014 by deploying 20,600 VVPAT units.

Following the verdict of the Supreme Court, the Commission has decided to give option to the voters who are not willing to vote for any of the fielded candidates. A button – None of the Above – has been inserted in the EVMs and ballot papers.

The use of indelible ink on the finger of the voter is an unique to check double voting. The electoral stain typically contains silver nitrate which stains the skin on exposure to ultra violet light, leaving a mark that is impossible to wash off. Other interesting features of Indian elections are enforcement of model code of conduct during the poll process, regulation of opinon polls, checking paid news and ceiling on poll expenditure.

(*The writer is a senior journalist on policy and strategic issues. He was a former Agriculture Editor with Financial Express. He can be reached at - ashokbsharma@gmail.com His mobile phone no 09810902204)