An open letter to The Election Commission of India, The Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland, The Commissioner, Nagaland, Returning Officer for the Lone Lok Sabha Seat in the State, and The District Electoral Officers/Returning Officers, Dimapur, etc.
Subject : Polling held on 16th April 2009 for the Lone Lok Sabha Seat from the state of Nagaland and By Elections to 4 Assembly Constituencies/Voter impersonation thereof.
Sirs,
I am a registered voter and my personal details are given below:
1. Name : Arep Changkija
2. Son of : Late I. K. Changkija
3. House No. : 34
4. Serial Number in Electoral Roll : 46
5. Polling Station : Number 10, Supply Colony
6. Police Station : West Police Station, Dimapur
On 16th April 2009 I went to the polling station referred above to cast my vote in the election to the Lone Parliamentary seat from Nagaland. On reaching the polling desk I identified myself by producing my EPIC bearing No.NL/01/01/027066. The officials informed that the vote in my name had already been cast. It was apparent someone else was allowed to cast my vote illegally. They then suggested I cast vote in someone else’s name, or go for tendered vote. I declined both options offered. Instead I asked the Presiding Officer to issue a statement on voter impersonation, to which he obliged.
The facts mentioned above makes it obvious this was a deliberate act of voter impersonation, with the active cooperation and support of the polling officials. Whichever way one looks at it, this was definitely not an oversight on the part of the polling officials.
Voter impersonation, or what is commonly known as ‘proxy voting’, has become rampant in every election in most parts of Nagaland. ‘Proxy voting’ is now the rule, instead of an exception. And thanks to post-election bragging we are constantly bombarded with unsolicited details, spoken with great pride like they were some heroic deed. It appears voting scores in double digits or even centuries in each booth if equated to innings in a cricket match would put top cricketers to shame. Is it any wonder that in Nagaland casting of votes get completed in double quick time? Most of the polling booths record almost cent percent polling within the very first couple of hours when everyone seems to be in a great hurry to get in. Just too bad for late comers, as I found out for myself. I reached the polling booth under 2 hours of opening, still a good 4/5 hours from closing time, but I still managed to score a duck! A commendable execution of first-come-first-served policy.
Official announcements after poll schedules are finalized – like ‘code of conduct’, ‘one man one vote’, etc., and giving out additional list of identification papers to be carried by voters for the purpose of voting – all sound impressive, but no one sweats out to implement them. For example, individuals were allowed to vote for entire families. Some even voted for other families whose representatives failed to turn up, basing on voters slips alone. Identification was not an issue. In the by-elections the residents of a colony under Dimapur III Assembly Constituency were compelled to screen out potential proxy voters from the polling stations. This reflects poorly on the level of faith in the system. The duty of the public is to vote without fear or favor, while it is the duty of the government to provide the neutral conditions to make this possible. Diluting this responsibility is merely seeking a way out of non performance.
Accounts of gross violation of the process of voting are too numerous to put on record. ‘Free for all’ sums it up. On the other hand, before and after each election the government makes very strong claims about a ‘free & fair’ election. Someone has got to be lying.
The constitution of India guarantees the right to vote to all citizens in their individual capacity. Adult franchise is not given to the head of the family, clan, village council, or union to vote for everyone else who fails to turn up. The manner in which voting rights are generously distributed during election season it would be appropriate to coin the phrase ‘one person unlimited votes’. And it ceases to sound funny when officials dismiss it casually by blaming local situation, whatever that means, in order to justify breaking/bending of rules. Are rules, election guidelines included, meant to be followed only if possible?
The election commission along with the state election machinery is solely responsible for ensuring that every vote cast is genuine and only bona-fide citizens registered in the electoral rolls are allowed to cast votes, that too in their own names. Citizens residing in Nagaland but registered in other states travel for days, reach their respective hometowns, be it in UP or AP, comfortably cast their votes and return without carrying any scars, physical or mental. For them it is almost like a pilgrimage, a sacred duty they must fulfill. Then why is it that my vote has such a short shelf life just 10 minutes walk from my home?
The fact that there is a sizeable number of ghost voters, not to mention multiple entries, in the electoral rolls which can neutralize or overrule genuine votes is another serious matter of concern that the authorities are not addressing in right earnest. A politician friend once observed that here the ability to manipulate electoral rolls is the key to political success. Some success!
Failure to protect the vote of the individual and allowing such electoral malpractices is serious, and amounts to smothering of democracy. No excuse is acceptable. Where is the logic of calling for elections and asking the citizens to vote conscientiously to elect their government when it appears like voting rights have been auctioned, or meekly surrendered to whosoever can give maximum trouble?
Here it must be pointed out if a bona-fide citizen who is a registered voter decides to cast his/her vote in exchange of some personal gain, if he/she decides to vote at all, it is his/her personal choice, and this (like money power, others-are-doing-it disease, prosperity-and-integrity-cannot-mix religion, etc.) constitutes a social issue that needs to be dealt with separately. But when his/her vote gets stolen in broad daylight, and often with the assistance of helpful polling officials and in plain view of security personnel present, this is big. We cannot legislate choices individuals make, but there cannot be any deviation on the ‘one man one vote’ principle which forms the cornerstone of democracy.
In the last Assembly elections in 2008 local media focused on a high profile voter who was a victim of voter impersonation. As can be expected, this gentleman was very vocal about the turn of events. His predicament was splashed in the national print media as well. What seems to have gone unnoticed is that every vote carries the same value, and thousands of genuine voters were denied their adult franchise, which did not make much news. This is another problem – the notion that there are lesser mortals who can be ignored because they do not amount to much. Are we not right to say government exists for these so called lesser mortals? Because of their vulnerability the law is enacted to make them equal, and protect them from being exploited, or worse.
It is not known whether the same fate awaited this dignitary in the last Parliamentary elections on 16th April 2009, but I am sure similar experiences by many citizens due to voter impersonation in the past prompted them to stay away. This explains why the streets wore a deserted look, and very little activity could be seen in the polling booths, with a few exceptions. But somehow reported turnout had crossed an unbelievable 90%.
Though I have documentary evidence to prove voter impersonation, I do not plan to file a complaint (I reserve the right to change my mind if necessary) against the personnel manning the particular polling station. Because I do not think action taken against a few erring officials would make much of a difference till it is understood by one and all, starting with the head of the state election office down to the officials overseeing polling, that voter impersonation is a crime that in the end strikes at the very heart of democracy, and then begins to spread terror in the lives of its citizens slowly but surely. How does one enforce rules that one does not care much about? Convincing the public begins with self conviction.
How far do we need to go before we realize that everyone is equal before the law, and then apply it? Can’t we see the seeds of lawlessness during elections is bearing its fruits and pervading into our daily lives? Is it so difficult to understand election rules were drafted because someone would always try to employ dishonest means to get elected? Why pretend rules don’t exist or don’t matter? And if the government which conducts elections will not enforce the rule of law then who will? Lawlessness prevails because it is being encouraged, one way or another. I know this is a bold statement, but I will be glad to be proved wrong.
When it is easier to cast votes at will (casting vote and the destiny of a nation/state is directly linked as we ought to know) then to open a bank account, something is definitely wrong somewhere.
I believe I am speaking up for the silent majority whose votes get stolen every election. And this act of stealing is well planned and carried out with precision by paid musclemen who overrun polling stations on behalf of candidates whose only objective is to grab power. This criminal offence takes place in plain view of the polling officials who are assigned to prevent such instances of cheating.
In a few days from now counting of votes will begin and thereafter results declared. To the people at large it does not matter who wins or loses – sad but true. What is more alarming is democracy will have lost once again. After all how can we have honorable MPs/MLAs when they get elected by dishonorable means? How can we elect law makers by resorting to law breaking? Can bad seeds produce good fruit? It is the sole responsibility of the election machinery to see that each and every vote is made to count, not simply counted.
It does not require a genius to recognize that the manner in which elections are conducted sets the tone for all spheres of government functioning thereafter. No accountability in elections, no accountability in public life. Period.
It is time to stop going into denial mode when things get uncomfortable. Indulging in self-deception has to be shown the door. It may be painful and bitter, but the only reasonable thing to do is to officially accept electoral malpractices have reached dangerous proportions because we have failed to carry out our job well enough and thereby allowed it to happen, and this is a problem that needs to be fixed without further delay. In the final analysis it is not about who is to blame, but who will take responsibility to set things right. And let us not attempt to hide under a camouflage of intellectual garbage or official jargon.
Agreed no system can be perfect, and unscrupulous people will generally dig out loopholes to gain undue advantage. But at least the anti social elements will be on the run, unlike in the present environment in which the lawful are looking for cover and moving about in fear whereas the lawless are having a field day.
Nation building is a noble endeavor which is a prerogative of all citizens barring none, and should not be the monopoly of a select few. And politics in a democratic set up serves as the ultimate means towards this goal. The Election Commission is duty bound to ensure a genuinely free & fair elections for all voters without any compromises and provide a level playing field for all intending candidates. Also, there cannot be a pragmatic approach to the process of elections. Anything less than one man one vote will amount to violation of a fundamental right as guaranteed in the Constitution.
It will be worthwhile to remember that the people do not deserve the politicians they have ‘not’ elected. Now you know that we know that this whole exercise called free & fair elections is questionable at best. Does anyone care that a handful of anti-social elements have sabotaged democracy and are holding the government hostage, and milking it dry – at the expense of the public who are made to suffer?
But the story will be so much different if you make a firm stand, implement the rules, and conduct the elections the way it should be done. Or is this asking too much for a small parliamentary constituency one tenth the population of Mumbai city, and in a country that prides itself as the largest working democracy on the planet?
Sirs, democracy in Nagaland is on its deathbed, and only you can give it a fresh lease of life. The silent majority is ready to roar.
Arep Changkija, Dimapur
