Free and (Un) fair Election
Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill has advocated that Chief Minister of four states should resign before the states have Assembly elections in November 1998 to enable a neutral administration to conduct free and fair election. The suggestion merits serious consideration.
It is a widespread belief that one of the biggest impediment for conducting free and fair election is that elections are held under the aegis of the political party in power which is also a party to the election. It will be naive to believe that Government lead by any political party will conduct impartial election where it’s future is also at stake. Even the efforts of the Election Commission in the past to maintain semblance of discipline in sensitive areas by deputing more central and para military forces were foiled by some State governments by not deploying the additional forces as deployment of forces is the prerogative of the State government. It is an open secret that many poll related violence are not sporadic or spontaneous but stage managed and self sponsored. Under these circumstances CEC’s suggestion that elected government should voluntarily resign once the election schedule is announced is the only pragmatic solution for a free and fair election, at least better than under a party rule.
Unfortunately, the suggestion did not get any favorable reasons from major political parties. The problem with our political parties is that while they welcome suggestions when they are in opposition, such suggestion does not find favour when they are in power. Our politician’s inborn instinct to serve the people will not be satiated if they sacrifice power even for a day. Moreover, they firmly believe that they can serve the people only when they are in power or position. While most of our politicians quote the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi day in and day out his principles and ideals are only for preaching and not for practicing.
Of late, our political parties appear to have adopted a new slogan ‘Winning to serve and serving to win". Indians are fortunate that at least during election period there are more people to serve them than the number of people to be served. With the present fluid political situation in the country, common man is assured of VIP treatment not once in five years but more frequently.