We are going to face yet another election to the Lok Sabha(House of the People) starting from next month. Ever since our Constitution came to effect in 1950, sceptics within the country and outside doubted the efficacy of our election system with so many illiterate voters and poor transport and communication network. It was an adult franchise, in which every citizen, man or woman, above 21 years was eligible to vote! Some young friends may be thinking about what was greatness! The other democratic countries did not give the right of voting to all in one go! Women voters were allowed to vote in the UK and the USA much later, in 1928 and 1920 respectively! If we go through the history of other democratic countries, we will discover the struggle by the women to get the right to voting. India was a predominantly feudalistic country and the mindset of the people was just to follow some King, emperor, zamindar. In most other democracies, it was a slow transition from feudalistic rule to democracy. But our makers of the Constitution and our freedom fighter leaders had full confidence in our people. We have observed how people successfully utilised their right to vote and elect Governments of their own! The Western leaders were still doubtful in the judgment of the voters, as one party was voted each time until the Election of March 1977. There was still Internal Emergency in vogue and Press freedom was only restored in late January. But people voted intelligently and voted out Indira Gandhi’s Government! A Non-Congress Government was installed in the Centre! Later on, several elections have taken place to the Lok Sabha and various State Assemblies since then. Voters of India have been aware enough in each election to choose the right party or dispensation. Some politicians, social leaders and intelligentsia ascribe some results of elections to our assemblies to some freebies given by political parties in power. But still, changes take place! So political parties are taking the voters as granted! Our voters make the Pollsters and the Exit Poll personnel fool and make their predictions wrong! Is not it sufficient proof that democracy is thriving in our country!
Now that the 17th General Election to Lok Sabha is going on, we observe several points. People from different streams voluntarily join different parties and aspire to contest elections! We had an opinion “Politics is the last resort of scoundrels”. But now, we find professional people in active politics. Young people have started seriously thinking that they should actively take part in politics. But the real festival of democracy is seen in action when elections to Legislative Assemblies take place! Men, women, young and old alike, involved in party politics, particularly in the organisational fields well before elections. When elections are declared, they start lobbying the so-called “High Commands” of different parties to get a ticket! The methodology does not seem to be thoroughly democratic. But the organisational capacities of the aspirants are displayed when they arrange large gatherings in meetings, road shows and at other relevant places. The curiosity of the general public to know which persons are contesting is itself a positive commitment of voters to democracy! I will discuss some drawbacks to our present system in next Blogs.
All Comments () +