Electoral Reforms
There had been several election reforms since 1952 to make election transparent. A milestone was set by CEC(Chief of Election Commission) TN Sheshan. Before him, CEC was not known to common man. Still, a lot to be done to make election establish a healthy democratic system. A few of them can be following:
1. The Model Code of Conduct(MCC) which starts with the notification of election should be applied round the year 24×7. If Model Code of Conduct is not applied round the year and making it effective only with a notification of election the very purpose of MCC is defeated. If any candidate has been attending the cast and religious gathering more than 4 years after the previous election it becomes ridiculous to ask that person to behave caste-neutral or religion-neutral after notification.
2. Post-poll alliances should be made illegal. Only pre-post alliances should be allowed. Like 'defection' post-poll alliances also cheat on the conscience of voters because pre-poll alliances are done on the basis of ideology or in the broader interest of the national politics while post-poll alliances are done as a tool of political expediency and wasted interests of the individuals. Those who have fought elections against one-another and hurled tons of abuses on each other come together after elections to form the government. Voters feel cheated like anything. One thing more, prohibition of post-poll alliances will lead to two or three party system that will strengthen ideology based multi-party democratic setup.
3. NOTA should be given real and stronger teeth to make itself effective. Hitherto NOTA is just a ritualistic adjustment in the list of electoral reforms. It is still as ineffective as when it was not ìn existence. If NOTA receives more votes than any candidate then elections of that constituency should be declared null and void. That will force the political parties to field the candidates who are honest, above board and whose integrity is beyond doubt in the opinion of the voters of the constituency and are not rejected by them.
4. As early as possible every voter should receive the slip to get ensured that his vote has gone to the candidate he has voted for.
Last but not the least the election commission should be given more legal and judicial authority to enforce its rules and regulations and punish the culprits.
1. The Model Code of Conduct(MCC) which starts with the notification of election should be applied round the year 24×7. If Model Code of Conduct is not applied round the year and making it effective only with a notification of election the very purpose of MCC is defeated. If any candidate has been attending the cast and religious gathering more than 4 years after the previous election it becomes ridiculous to ask that person to behave caste-neutral or religion-neutral after notification.
2. Post-poll alliances should be made illegal. Only pre-post alliances should be allowed. Like 'defection' post-poll alliances also cheat on the conscience of voters because pre-poll alliances are done on the basis of ideology or in the broader interest of the national politics while post-poll alliances are done as a tool of political expediency and wasted interests of the individuals. Those who have fought elections against one-another and hurled tons of abuses on each other come together after elections to form the government. Voters feel cheated like anything. One thing more, prohibition of post-poll alliances will lead to two or three party system that will strengthen ideology based multi-party democratic setup.
3. NOTA should be given real and stronger teeth to make itself effective. Hitherto NOTA is just a ritualistic adjustment in the list of electoral reforms. It is still as ineffective as when it was not ìn existence. If NOTA receives more votes than any candidate then elections of that constituency should be declared null and void. That will force the political parties to field the candidates who are honest, above board and whose integrity is beyond doubt in the opinion of the voters of the constituency and are not rejected by them.
4. As early as possible every voter should receive the slip to get ensured that his vote has gone to the candidate he has voted for.
Last but not the least the election commission should be given more legal and judicial authority to enforce its rules and regulations and punish the culprits.
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