First, let us address the tool of elections — the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Aspersions were cast on its integrity, and by implication, on the whole election machinery. Some people even argued for a reversion to the paper ballot, jettisoning decades of reform in the conduct of elections. Questions were raised on the statistically correct sample of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines to be counted for certainty of results. The matter went up to the Supreme Court, which ordered a mandatory count of five randomly selected VVPAT machines per assembly segment. In smaller states like Mizoram, it amounted to nearly a fifth of machines being validated. The results were astounding. In over 20,000 counts, there wasn’t even a single instance of mismatch between the EVM and VVPAT count. This wasn’t just an endorsement of the humble EVM, but also a tribute to the 12 million officials engaged in the conduct of elections. It should be a matter of pride for all Indians that no nation has taken a bold leap of faith in venturing into the use of such machines for elections at such a scale.
The degree and nature of electoral reforms will require wider debate and political consensus. The EC can be an enabler of this dialogue, which must embrace not only the processes required for ensuring greater fairness in the conduct of elections but also transparency in electoral funding, measures to curb the use of money power. In the meantime, let us not sully the reputation of institutions or question the hard work of millions of officials who work tirelessly for their national duty. For all the doubting Thomases, let us lean on the words of Charles Dickens: “Men who look on nature, and their fellow-men, and cry that all is dark and gloomy, are in the right; but the sombre colours are reflections from their own jaundiced eyes and hearts.”
Debate electoral reforms, but refrain from sullying the reputation of institutions.
Written by Ashish Kundra |
Published: June 7, 2019 12:29:07 am
are! Pappu samaj gaye na !
अरे पप्पू समाज गये ना !
The degree and nature of electoral reforms will require wider debate and political consensus. The EC can be an enabler of this dialogue, which must embrace not only the processes required for ensuring greater fairness in the conduct of elections but also transparency in electoral funding, measures to curb the use of money power. In the meantime, let us not sully the reputation of institutions or question the hard work of millions of officials who work tirelessly for their national duty. For all the doubting Thomases, let us lean on the words of Charles Dickens: “Men who look on nature, and their fellow-men, and cry that all is dark and gloomy, are in the right; but the sombre colours are reflections from their own jaundiced eyes and hearts.”
Debate electoral reforms, but refrain from sullying the reputation of institutions.
Written by Ashish Kundra |
Published: June 7, 2019 12:29:07 am
are! Pappu samaj gaye na !
अरे पप्पू समाज गये ना !
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