A first of its kind ‘National Voters Day’ was celebrated across the country on January 25, 2011 to mark the formation day of the Election Commission of India. The significance of the day, ahead of India’s Republic Day should not be missed. The objective of the EC is to increase the enrolment of voters so as to make universal adult franchise a complete reality and thereby enhance the quality of Indian democracy. In Nagaland as well, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer has been actively promoting the significance of the day asking those who are over 18 years old to enrol themselves and get their voter ID card in order to allow them to vote. A full page advertisement with the customary messages of the Governor, Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary etc. has been splashed out in the local daily newspapers. This newspaper fully supports the case for a healthy and thriving democracy where citizens participate in the affairs of running of their country, State etc. As rightly mentioned by the CEO Nagaland, the right to vote is “most potent weapon in the hands of the citizens of a vibrant democracy”. However we do not necessarily agree with the observation that under the Election Commission of India, “free and fair exercise of this right has been ensued over the last six decades”. Let us only hope that this very important campaign to enhance our democratic process does not end up as only a symbolic exercise.
All of us including our politicians and also the so called voters (the public) should accept the fact that election is Nagaland is far from being free and fair. We claim to elect our so called representatives and our government through the democratic process of ‘free and fair elections’. But we know that this is not true to a large extent. Free and fair election means ‘one man one vote’ and the fundamental right to exercise your vote and conscience without allurement and coercion. Even as we write this editorial and reports of voters day being observed across Nagaland pour in, our newspapers have started to publish ‘declaration, village support, diktat’ etc to elect a new leader for the ensuing by-election to be held in one of the constituency under Mokokchung district. In short, the reality of free and fair voting, is something that is yet to find favour among a majority of Nagas. Right from the political parties to the voting public and down to the village level functionaries, the principle of one man one vote is a myth. Nagas prefer and practice vote bank politics, of consensus and selection not election in the strict sense of the term. Even our present Chief Minister is on record of pointing out the wisdom of Nagas practice of consensus and selection. Whatever may be the merit or otherwise of our traditional practice when it comes to voting and election, the point we should note is that we now follow modern parliamentary democracy where free and fair election is the basic norm and the right to vote a fundamental right. We need to move forward in this direction. Hopefully our elections of the future will be much more free, fair, mature and peaceful without the resort to force, money or wine power.
