How to ensure the conduct of free and fair elections on March 8 remains a matter of serious concern for many people including this newspaper. Several public statements have been made by concerned individuals and the public at large drawing attention on this particular issue. The fact that everyone, including all political parties is raising concern about it should be taken to mean that the predicament of rigging and proxy voting is very much a real problem. It will be safe to assume that such malpractices during elections have come to be a thumb rule rather than an exception and all parties resort to it as a matter of ‘policy’. This in itself is a part of the problem in as much as any solution will require some form of ‘moral’ responsibility on the part of political parties and those who contest elections.
Against this backdrop the decision of the Election Commission of India to go in for revision of electoral rolls in the State ahead of Assembly Elections slated for early part of next year is a welcome development. Hopefully, the proposed revision of electoral rolls tentatively scheduled from April 2, 2007 and expected to be completed by June 18, 2007 will be able to rectify on the anomalies present and bring out a full proof electoral roll that is genuine. Along with the revision of rolls, other measures such as photo identity cards and introducing electronic voting machines in all polling stations should be seriously considered for implementation.
As far as the ensuing bye-election on March 8 goes, the State Election Office should keep a close watch on the administration during the period so that no room is left for any unfair practice or the abuse of authority on political lines. Those who are given the responsibility to conduct free and fair elections must do so sincerely without compromise. If past elections are of any indication, many times it is not the law that fails us but rather those who are meant to protect it. While it will be unrealistic to expect 100% clean polls, nevertheless a sincere attempt must be made to curtail the use of money and muscle power. On their part it is unfortunate that political parties in Nagaland from time to time merely express concern over the use of muscle and money for winning elections without doing anything themselves to discourage such elements. Given the wide open space for malpractices in the present system, the case for undertaking some major electoral reform is the need of the hour.
For now though, all eyes will be on the two District Administration and Police of Tuensang and Dimapur and it is hoped that they will be able to conduct a credible, transparent, free and fair elections on March 8. Adequate security should be provided to all polling stations and security beefed up in sensitive stations. Acute care must be taken while transporting ballot papers to polling stations and ballot boxes to counting centres from polling stations after elections. Another precautionary measure is to regulate traffic movement near polling stations. And since there is a lot of distrust on the current electoral process, select members of the public and the media can be mobilized to remain as a watchdog body at the time of polling and to act as a counter weight against unlawful elements and their nefarious designs. At the end of the day the prime objective should be to maintain peace and allow every voter in the two ACs of Dimapur-I and Tuensang Sadar-II to exercise their democratic rights in accordance to their choice.
