India’s Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath, center, with Election Commissioners H.S. Brahma, left, and Nasim Zaidi take questions from the media after announcing dates for the country’s national elections in New Delhi, Wednesday, March 5. India said Wednesday it will begin national elections on April 7, kicking off a month-long contest in the largest democracy in the world. The election is held over several weeks for reasons of logistics and safety in a country of 1.2 billion. More than 810 million people are eligible to vote this year, an increase of 100 million from five years ago, according to the Election Commission. (AP Photo)
Voting from April 7 to May 12; results to be declared on May 16
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS): India will elect a new parliament over nine days in April-May in the world’s largest democratic exercise, with the Election Commission Wednesday saying the results will be declared May 16.
Political parties across the spectrum, already in election gear, largely welcomed the staggered exercise. The BJP exuded confidence it will win the battle but the ruling Congress rubbished the claim.
A whopping 814 million Indians -- almost the combined population of Russia, the US, Brazil and Bangladesh -- will be eligible to vote in the 16th parliamentary election to elect the 16th Lok Sabha, the House of People or what is called the lower house.
This is an increase of some 100 million from the 2009 election -- and a sharp rise from the 176 million of 1951 when newly independent India conducted its maiden Lok Sabha election. Along with the Lok Sabha polls, Sikkim, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states will elect new assemblies, Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath said while unveiling the staggered election schedule at the Vigyan Bhawan convention centre.
“Credible elections are the very soul and hallmark of any democratic system,” Sampath told the media. Polling will take place for 543 of the 545 Lok Sabha seats -- two members are nominated by the president -- on April 7, 9, 10, 12, 17, 24 and 30 and May 7 and 12. The millions of votes will be counted on May 16, the results coming out in a few hours, a feat perhaps unparalleled in the world.
Sampath urged the people to “vote in an informed and ethical manner” and appealed to political parties and candidates to uphold India’s “democratic traditions ... by maintaining high standards of discourse and fair play”. The poll panel promised “free, fair and credible elections”.
BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said the election was a “historic opportunity” to lay the foundation for a “developed India”. Modi asked people to “make the right choice”. The Gujarat chief minister added: “I call upon the people of India to bless us, give the BJP-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) a majority and make Mission 272+ a grand reality for the prosperity of India.” The reference was to the number that would give a party or a coalition a majority in the lower house.
The Congress rubbished the BJP’s victory claim. Congress leader and Law Minister Kapil Sibal said the BJP’s dream of winning would turn out to be a dream -- a la 2004 and 2009 when it lost to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The AAP, the country’s latest political force, said it was confident of taking on both the BJP and the Congress despite having taken birth only in November 2012. “We will give a good fight to the Congress and the BJP,” Aam Aadmi Party spokesman Nagendra Sharma told IANS.
Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma added: “We appeal to all political parties not to use any such words or language that is against decorum and decency.”
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Main features of the Lok Sabha election 2014:
Nine-day process starts April 7, ends May 12
Spread across 28 states, seven union territories
Simultaneous assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim
Entire election process through electronic voting machines (EVMs)
Election to be supervised by 11 million officials
Electorate: 814 million (100 million more than the 2009 election)
Constituencies: 543 (Two Anglo-Indians are nominated by the president)
Polling stations: 930,000
Vote count and result: May 16
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Model code of conduct comes into effect
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS): The Election Commission announced that the model code of conduct has come into effect Wednesday with the announcement of the April-May Lok Sabha election schedule. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath later told the media that the code was vital to ensure a level playing field among various contenders for power.
Money power
causing concern
The use of money in elections is a matter of concern, the Election Commission said Wednesday, adding that it will take steps to curb it in the April-May Lok Sabha polls. “The use of money power is a matter of concern,” Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told the media. He said special emphasis was being given to “check the use and flow of money during the (coming) election process”. He said the poll panel will deploy flying squads and video surveillance teams among other measures to stop the possible use of money by candidates aimed at influencing voters.
Indians urged to vote in ‘informed, ethical manner’
The Election Commission urged people to “exercise their right to vote” in the coming Lok Sabha election “in an informed and ethical manner”. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath also appealed to political parties and candidates “to uphold the democratic traditions of the nation by maintaining high standards of political discourse and fair play”. “The Election Commission,” he added, “reassures the nation of its solemn resolve and deep commitment to fulfil its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and credible elections.”
NOTA to be provided
in general elections
Voters will, for the first time, be able to exercise the “None of the Above” (NOTA) option for candidates in the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission said Wednesday. Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath said the entire election will be held using electronic voting machines (EVMs), and that the NOTA option will also be provided. “The 2014 Lok Sabha polls shall be held with EVMs,” he said, adding that appropriate instructions will be issued regarding the NOTA facility.
