Monday, December 2, 2024
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Frown and Fear It

Indian democracy has seen several disquieting notes creeping into the use and final outcome of using Electronic Voting Machines

By A Concerned Citizen

The rationale for using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is plainly obvious. Information is collected, collated, counted and made available, in the time that staff in most other nations would be tying on their shoe laces. That’s a resounding vote in favour of technology. Having said that, Indian democracy has seen several disquieting notes creeping into the use and final outcome of using EVMs.

For some reason, the votes being counted have in too many case for comfort, exceeded the numbers polled. There has been no reasonable, transparent explanation forthcoming from the ostensibly independent Election Commission. Their behaviour has seemed to render them an extension of the Executive. Democracy will wilt and wither away in darkness. Enough people are asking questions and the cause of justice, fair play and plain democracy, are ill served by swatting them away and casting aspersions on those asking for complete transparency. A partial transparency is akin to the rhetorical partial pregnancy; there really is no such thing. The Judiciary hasn’t covered themselves in glory either, via their pronouncements on the subject (read personal comments) creeping into their judgments on petitions seeking to also add paper conformation to electronic votes. 

A petitioner of twenty five years impeccable standing, the Association for Democratic Reform, has had their integrity questioned. Their appeal was conflated with attempts to denigrate the nation and her progress; a gratuitous and erroneous personal opinion.

Theirs is an inexplicable and unsettling unwillingness to answer any questions on the subject; western idiom would say that something here doesn’t pass the pub test. We could say, it doesn’t pass the smell test.

The questions and doubts are valid and must be addressed. If the price to be paid is merely a longer wait for the results, it is one well worth paying in service of democracy.

At a simple technological level, governments and some private companies in certain countries have shown that a gadget or piece of electronics that cannot be compromised, simply hasn’t been invented.

It’s an undeniable fact that we remain an overwhelming importer of nearly every bit of sophisticated equipment whether communication, defence or intelligence related. Whilst due notice has been taken and credit apportioned, for India’s speedy conclusion of the electoral process, no country, significant or not, has come seeking her expertise in matters technological, not even with regard to EVMs.

To believe that we have magically conjured up one piece of rare, unique, uncompromisable, technology or equipment, does severely stretch the limits of credulity. To conflate any questions (which are anyway not being answered) with national honour, would be a travesty against the nation and her people.

Culturally, we are a people with relatively less respect for time and yet we’re hung up on a speedy conclusion of the electoral process. Nations, far more technologically advanced and who live by a far greater premium on time in their daily lives, have not seen fit to emulate our obsession with speed alone. Therein probably lies a tale. It’s a reasonable expectation of the Executive and Election Commission, that people take at face value their contention that everything is above board. They shouldn’t then have any objections to allaying all doubts and fears on the topic. For people and even opposition parties (still numerically far in excess of the ruling dispensation) to expect answers and forthrightness is as reasonable.

The mother of democracy should start giving her voting children due confirmation of their exercise in paper form.

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