Elections on the Net: Let’s Bring Politics to Internet!

In 1952 India had her first general elections based on universal adult suffrage. Two things at that first election determined the DNA of the election system of India: a) elections were based on universal adult suffrage, an understanding quite uncommon at that time across the world that all adults irrespective of caste, colour, creed, education and wealth, were competent and enlightened enough to choose their representative. It was actually a very bold idea at that time; b) the elections were to be conducted not by a government body but by a constitutional body called the election commission. As we now know, both these concepts had a revolutionary impact in establishing and maintaining India as a democracy for the last 60 years.

The first Chief Election Commissioner of India was a self-effacing bureaucrat Sukumar Sen of the Indian Civil Service. He served between 1950 and 1958 overseeing the first two general elections. Interestingly, he also served as the first election commissioner of Nepal and Sudan! [I got this information from the Wiki]. He was so self-effacing that he has hardly left behind any papers to enable historians assess his remarkable contribution to the election process in India. As the first Election Commissioner, he also determined the DNA of the Election Commission. While the successive Election Commissioners have not necessary followed Sen’s streak of self-effacement, they have unequivocally maintained the election commission as an independent statutory body, over the years making it one of the most efficient, effective, unbiased and progressive bodies not only in India but the world over.

If you were a senior citizen, who has participated in many elections over the years, you would not help wonder at the progress that the election process has made over the years in terms of shortening queues, better booth management, safer voting environment, ease of casting vote and above all else introduction and use of high technology in the election process.

It is quite a pleasant surprise to know how tech-savvy the working of the election commission is. Electronic voting machines are the most visible gadgets on the tech side. But the whole process of listing, weeding and maintaining voters’ lists and issuing voters’ identity cards is an enormous task given the size of the electorate and the constant stream of newly eligible voters in each successive election. Of course, it would be fair to assume that there was perhaps no alternative before the Commission but to embrace technology fully and efficiently given the enormity of the task and the streamlined nature of the commission. In the last 8-10 years, the Commission has therefore by design or default or by a judicious mixture of both, has chosen some of the most IT savvy civil servants to head its IT function who fortunately have been given a free hand to carry out their functions as long as they have produced the desired results: conducting the elections more efficiently.

Given the history and DNA of the election commission and the imperative need to make more and more use of technology — especially since the size of the electorate if growing, there is demand for more fair and efficient elections, there is need to bring more and more new groups into the election process; I think it is time that the Commission takes the next logical step and seriously considers the concept of “internet voting”. This simply means that registered voters should be given the option of casting votes on the internet.
The task prima facie sounds daunting, and it is so. But we can rely on the historical efficiency of the Election Commission to implement the project on one hand; and on the other, the number of benefits it will bring to the country on the whole.

On the first issue of the Commission’s capability, needless to say, it is important to get the Commission to think in terms of internet voting. Once the thought is accepted seriously by the commission, I am sure, it will not be too difficult for the Commission to implement it – just as it has so smoothly and efficiently implemented electronic voting machines. Of course, in the case of internet voting there is no global precedence, just as there was not precedence of electronic voting machines on such as large scale. So there is the opportunity to set a global benchmark.

On the second issue of benefits, one can safely state that they are far too numerous and important. I will just mention three top issues that can be resolved: a) Literally, millions of so called middle classes who do not come out to vote since they consider the process to long and boring will come out and vote from the comfort of their homes thus possibily changing the whole demographic challenge that elections in India face; b) It will be much safer for people to vote and not be intimidated and c) finally, due to a drastic cut down on physical arrangements such as setting up booths and deploying security forces, the government will save considerable time and money. If these are not compelling reasons, I wonder what are?

As a postscript and from a narrow personal perspective, I may also add that “internet voting” will give a new thrust to internet use in India and help in higher internet penetration – something that successive governments have failed to achieve, may as well be achieved through the good offices of the election commission. This I would say would be the best “collateral” achievement of the whole exercise.

Hyderabad Blues

For long my acquaintance with Hyderabad was through history books about rich but miserly nawabs and their fabulous wealth and eccentricities especially onthe dining table on one hand and on the other the famous telengana movement in 1946. In more recent times, that view was moulded by high dowry demands [no I never thought of marrying a telegu girl at any point in time, I could have been richer] for nice boys in the marraige market. Fortunaltely though in the last few years I have had first hand experience of the city especially its various hotels, convention centres and other things that make up modern Hyderabad including the latest addition, the new airport. After savouring these modern delights in this medieval city, I am firmly of the opinion that if one has to see India's city one has to move out of Delhi and Mumbai. These two cities are old matrons surviving on borrowed make up. If you erally want to see the real beauties of the future look beyond to Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Surat, and perhaps even Chennai which is suddenly grown into beauty in middle age [some women do that trick on you].

Of course, the old Hyderabad looks as beautiful and as dirty as ever, Charminar is as majestic and Golconda fort as awe inspiring and Hussain Sagar as beautiful. But this time old and new culture had a new meaning for me. I discovered the most beautiful heritage building Chiraan Fort in Secundrabad which had been converted into a fantastic restaurant and bar complex. It was the most beautiful bar that I ever visited [and I have visited many]. Built on the model of what seemed to me the Falaqnuma Palace, this place was just out of the world. And to top it all although it was a club, they allowed non-members like me to enjoy a drink and if u are from Delhi or Mumbai a full bottle of beer at Rs 100 in a heritage builing in mid town is almost as good as free... After so many surprises, the only surprising thing left for me was that I did not get drunk.

The Child of the Nation

I was completely disappointed today when I opened the newspaper. There was just this little quarter of a page advertisement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting commemorating the birthday of Jawahar Lal Nehru, while the whole paper was either full of pictures of scoundrels who had managed to get tickets for the forthcoming polls or full of bigger scoundrels who had not managed to get tickets... A couple of broadsheets tried valiantly to market Children's Day.... But it has clearly not reached the stature of Valentine's Day or even mother's day...
It is a sad day for our democracy that on the eve of elections, we forget the one man who fought everyone else within and outside his party, tolerated ridicule from colonoial masters and the world but stuck to one point that has made India what it is: Universal Adult Suffrage. And this was at a time when in the other large democracy people of colour were not allowed to vote and in other smaller democracies women were still fighting for their right to elect their representatives. Of course, in most countries of Asia and Africa people did not even know that there was a system through which they could actually elect their own representatives.
My humble suggestion is that the birthday of the first Child of the Nation, Jawahar Lal Nehru should be declared as the univesal suffrage day and all of us who never vote take a pledge to respect our demicratic right and cast our vote in all elections. Thus making sure that we do not fritter away one of the most prized legacies.
It is also a bit sad that on Children's Day children have to go to school while on Vishwakarma Puja they are forced to take a holiday

Like Father, Like Son!

I am not particularly obsessive about cricket nor am I very fond of Bengali heroes. I therfore am not sure why I am makng this entry on cricket and on a bengali connected with cricket. But there you are.
Once upon a time, many years back a father would take his son to practice sessions. The father, I think was a member of Cricket Association of Bengal. The indulgent father was ridiculed by his friends and acquaintances on his one obsession, to make his son a test cricketer and play for India. Those were the days when the economy and polity had ensured that the otherwise cocky Bengalis had lost their self-confidence. While people made the right noises in front of the father, when his back was turned, they smirked at the overambitious father and the impossible dream that he had. Of course, as they say the rest is history.... If the father was dogged in his determination, the son was the top dog of Indian cricket for many years.... if the father carried the onus of the son's success, the son carried the onerous task of the country's success; if the father wanted to establish his son as a famous Indian, the son wanted to put his country as the world leader in cricket... Both of them carried out their tasks with grit and determination and at the end succeeded. One is still a young man, the other past his prime. His son has given him enough to enjoy for the rest of his life... I think, like Martin Luther, Chandi Ganguly too had a dream, but unlike Luther, he was able to fulfil it in his lifetime and sit back to enjoy the fruits.
If you think Saurav Ganguly was great as a cricketer, captain and a leader, please do remember to give some credit to Chandi Ganguly.
As they say in Hindi
Baap Ka Beta/ Sipahi Ka Ghora... Kuch nahi to Thora Thora!