137. Election Commission cannot change people but people can change election commissions and election processes in India. P S Remesh Chandran

137

Election Commission cannot change people but people can change election commissions and election processes in India

P. S. Remesh Chandran

Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum 

Article Title Image 1 By Ron Hansen. Graphics: Adobe SP.

People have the right to express their wish as to how to cast their votes- through ballot paper, or through electronic voting machines. Irrespective of what the election commission thinks or insists people have that right. Election Commission cannot change people but people can change election commissions and election processes. People may even change electronic voting machines and put ballot paper back in place when their campaigns gains momentum. In quite a number of countries in the world, people have put the ballot paper back and replaced electronic voting machines. In India too they may do exactly that. What is strange in India is it is not the political parties or the government but the president-appointed election commission itself that is insistent upon voting machines, without minding what many other democratic countries are doing.

In the history of election processes in the world, it was governments which demanded the introduction of voting machines in place of ballot paper, not people. People always stood for ballot paper and from verifying media archives we can see that only a very few people stood for voting machines. People are always suspicious of machines, though they do use them. Why do even people who strongly advocate in social media for the continuance of voting machines do not post their personal details or family photos in Face Book? It is because they know they are sure to be manipulated by someone somewhere through machines and misused without their knowledge and authority. That is machine. That is technology. Machines are insensitive and obey only commands.

 

Which is the country most famous for creating the largest scams in the world? India. Who gives commands to these machines? The officers of the country which holds the world record for scams. Do you think the officers of the election commission are unmarried, single, untouched, virgin young men and girls? They too are susceptible to vices like in any other institutions. Certainly it is not the only institution devoid of all vices in India. Why most people, except of course those who wanted to see BJP winning a sweeping victory, are doubtful about electronic voting machines is because the election commission declined to subject themselves to investigation on almost all of the allegations raised against these machines, including the most grave ones such as discrepancies in purchasing, transporting, paying for, missing and malfunctioning of these machines.

It was not the machines but the attitude of the election commission which germinated the seeds of distrust. They did nothing to establish their transparency and commitment but instead threatened people with prosecution- the very thing symptomatic of non-transparency and went on with alienating more and more people, which is not at all right for a democratically founded institution to do. If they are that unwilling to subject themselves to investigations on their machines and their processes and believe they are exerting their right, why can’t people exert their right to doubt their behaviour and policies and demand investigations?

Article Title Image 2 By Bill Wegener. Graphics: Adobe SP. 

Can a democratically founded institution in a country challenge the democratic rights of the people of that country? It is sure something the UN or its branches like the UNCHR or ICJ to decide. Instead of subjecting themselves to investigations to clear all doubts raised on their procurements and policies, the election commission tried to browbeat and terrorize people by threatening all who question election processes and election commission! This only hinted the truth behind the allegations against their machines, in a way actually validated them and forced more people to call for bringing back the ballot paper. Why they become angry and furious at people demanding the bringing back of ballot papers? They have no right to become angry. This country has not yet become a dictatorship or an autocratic theocracy. It is still a democratic country with people’s right to elect a government and install institutions like election commission and watch for dictatorial, autocratic and theocratic trends developing among its institutions. You know, democracy replaced many worst forms of administration and it is only natural for them all to try to make their reappearance. Democracy needs watching, and keeping. In fact, in a democratic country, it is people’s duty to watch for dictatorial, autocratic and theocratic trends reappearing among its institutions and give warnings to others in time before it is too late. It is still not the other way. That was one of the many lessons the people of India were taught by the unilaterally declared national emergency of India in 1975.

If people do not watch and warn these great institutions they created how will they know and hear the footsteps of dictatorship, autocracy and theocracy approaching the planning for which are punishable by death in their democracy anyway? Unless the election commission knows their machines and processes are being manipulated and they themselves are now prone to dictatorial, autocratic and theocratic trends, why should they become angry enough to threaten with incarceration people who raise allegations against them? Isn’t even this anger and threat of arresting and prosecuting people a dictatorial, autocratic and theocratic trend? Even the president is elected by people, though at present through their representatives, and it’s the president who appoints institutions like election commission. So, ultimately, they are all responsible and answerable to people. It seems it is time the president warns them not to go beyond bounds.

Article Title Image 3 By Prashanth Pinha. Graphics: Adobe SP.

More English articles by the author at:  
http://sahyadribooks-remesh.blogspot.com/

Malayalam articles by the author at: 
http://sahyadrimalayalam.blogspot.in/

More political article by the author here:  
http://sahyadribooks-remesh.blogspot.com/p/list-of-political-articles.html

About the Author P. S. Remesh Chandran:

Editor of Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum. Author of several books in English and in Malayalam. And also author of Swan: The Intelligent Picture Book. Born and brought up in the beautiful village of Nanniyode in the Sahya Mountain Valley in Trivandrum, in Kerala. Father British Council trained English teacher and Mother University educated. Matriculation with distinction and Pre Degree Studies in Science with National Merit Scholarship. Discontinued Diploma studies in Electronics and entered politics. Unmarried and single.

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Post: P. S. Remesh Chandran, Editor, Sahyadri Books, Trivandrum, Padmalayam, Nanniyode, Pacha Post, Trivandrum- 695562, Kerala State, South India.

Tags:


Election Commission India, Bring Back Ballot Paper, India Election, Voting Machine Manipulation, Electronic Voting Machines, India Scams Corruption, Voting Machine Discussion, India News, EVM, // Election Rigging, Indian Theocracy, Election Manipulation, Indian Democracy, Watching Fascism, Dictatorial Trends India, Voting Machine Supporters, India Politics,

First published on 16 August 2019