Are India’s Elections Free and Fair? https://thewire.in/politics/are-indias-elections-free-and-fair M.G. Devasahayam 11-12-23
aggressive mind management and media manipulation in Indian elections. This perception, however, is not solely attributed to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) doubts but also underscores deeper issues within India’s flawed electoral system, particularly the First Past the Post (FPTP) system
After the election, the Association for Democratic Reforms and Common Cause moved the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of the low mandate, alleging that there had been serious discrepancies between the number of voters in different constituencies and the number of votes counted. These discrepancies, totalling 739,104 votes, were in 347 out of 542 constituencies and range from one vote to 101,323 votes, amounting to 10.49% of the total votes. The case has not even been listed so far, and there has been no response from the Election Commission (EC) on the allegation of fraud in India’s electoral system.
The main issues :
The EVM issue
Integrity and inclusiveness of the electoral rolls
Electronic voting [EVM/VVPATs] and its compliance with democracy principles
Criminalisation, money power, and electoral bonds
Scheduling and processes of elections and compliance of Model Code of Conduct
The role of media
EC’s autonomy and its functioning before, during, and after elections