The Electoral System
How can Election Commission to gain credibility? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG6BrQXHs2I
The Indian Express Feb 5, 2025 Yogendra Yadav recounted the Election Commission's robust reputation in the 1990s and its current challenges, including gerrymandering in Assam, lack of transparency, and combative behavior towards opposition parties. Yadav emphasized the need for independent evidence to support claims of EVM manipulation and criticized the government's appointment procedures for election commissioners. He urged the Supreme Court to ensure a fair and non-partisan process for future appointments to maintain democratic integrity.
As CEC Rajiv Kumar retires, his legacy casts a dark cloud https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/yogendra-yadav-writes-as-cec-rajiv-kumar-retires-his-legacy-casts-a-dark-cloud-9815748/ Either the Supreme Court intervenes to ensure that the next CEC is chosen through a fairer system and can be trusted to display at least a modicum of fairness, neutrality and transparency. Or we could be headed towards an irreversible political crisis, as in our neighbourhood where election outcomes are routinely disputed... The current CEC played a role in the first clear instance of US-style communal “gerrymandering” (partisan drawing of electoral boundaries) in carrying out the delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Assam, which happened to favour the BJP. He oversaw one of the rare and controversial “uncontested” parliamentary elections (Surat, 2024) in a non-conflict area. Under him, the ECI raised opacity to new heights by brazenly stonewalling information on turnout and discrepancy between votes polled and counted. Worse, the rule that mandated transparency was diluted.
The NOTA (None of the Above) option in India has been criticized for not having a substantial impact on the quality of politicians or the electoral process. The main reason behind its introduction was to allow voters to exercise the right to participate in the election for lack of an alternative option, rather than abstaining from voting. The NOTA option does not lead to the political parties choosing candidates with a clean image, as seen in the ongoing state elections where the number of candidates with criminal records remains high. It is only a half-step towards establishing a broader "right-to-reject" system, where a fresh election would be called if the majority of voters opted for NOTA. The provision does not prevent the contestant with the greatest number of votes from being declared the winner, even if NOTA wins more votes than the candidates running for office. Therefore, NOTA is not considered an effective tool for cleaning up the electoral system or improving the quality of politicians in India.
Citations:
https://carnegieendowment.org/2013/12/02/nota-is-not-same-as-right-to-reject-pub-53775
https://byjusexamprep.com/upsc-exam/the-nota-option-was-first-introduced-in-india-in-which-year
https://www.samwoolfe.com/2013/07/we-need-none-of-above-option-for-ballot.html
https://public.econ.duke.edu/~aa231/NOTA_voting01.pdf
https://www.votenone.org.uk/none_of_the_above.html
Election Commissioner Arun Goel के इस्तीफे पर भड़के Kapil Sibal बोले देश में लोकतंत्र की नींव... News 24https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO3XPvO6Nr4
Mar 10, 2024 Election Commissioner Arun Goel के इस्तीफे पर भड़के Kapil Sibal बोले देश में लोकतंत्र की नींव...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WgVVIVZCcQ Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held, and President Droupadi Murmu has accepted his resignation. Now, opposition parties are blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi government for the resignation and slamming te centre. Watch some key reactions.
Election commissioner Arun goel का इस्तीफा,Modi सरकार पर सवाल? Kumkum Binwal With just days remaining for the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, Election Commissioner Arun Goel tendered his resignation on Saturday, March 9. President Droupadi Murmu duly accepted his resignation. Congress has raised questions on the Modi government on this issue. Kumkum Binwal analysis
Election Commissioner Arun Goel Resignation: Mahmood Paracha tells INSIDE STORY with Neelu Vyas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOweB7Rr8cg
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/could-supreme-court-have-done-justice-in-chandigarh-if-evms-were-used-9185620/ This is not a question that is thrown up frivolously. It is a serious question, particularly given the large-scale disaffection being expressed by a variety of groups about the existing voting system.
While the disaffection is usually expressed as being against EVMs, it is actually against the EVS, the current Electronic Voting System, a system consisting of two other machines in addition to the EVMs: the VVPAT machine (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machine), and a Control Unit or Counting Unit. It is the linkages between the three machines which comprise the EVS that obfuscate the transparency of the voting and counting. It is this lack of transparency which raises doubts in the minds of voters.
All solutions suggested by technical experts veer towards using even more complex technology. Given the vast expanse of the country and extremely varying levels of access to high-tech and comfort in using hi-tech products, it might be time to acknowledge the realities of India and move towards the once popular concept of appropriate technology
section 153A of the Indian Penal Code as quoted by Jagdeep Chhokar <
“153A. Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.—(1) Whoever—
(a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or attempts to promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, or
(b) commits any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, and which disturbs or is likely to disturb the public tranquillity, or
(c) organizes any exercise, movement, drill or other similar activity intending that the participants in such activity shall use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force or violence, or participates in such activity intending to use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force or violence, against any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community and such activity for any reason whatsoever causes or is likely to cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity amongst members of such religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.”