(Dr Parakala Prabhakar)
So, the discourse ultimately is: denial of franchise is linked only to a party winning or losing; not to an Indian’s right to vote?
Elections are important, I agree. But right to franchise is far more fundamental than that.
One can see this whole process clearly only when one becomes winner-loser agnostic and focus on right to franchise.
We need to look at the 28 lakh voters who are denied voting right in this Bengal election. It matters little to me who they vote for. If they’re denied voting right without being pronounced as ineligible and not given a chance to prove their eligibility, can that be considered a legitimate election?
Let me tell you – even if TMC had won this election I would have considered it a questionable mandate because the election was conducted without adjudicating the cases of 27 lakh people.
I’m surprised that SC and political commentators are fixated on winners and losers. This is bizarre.
One more thing: if someone wins by 2k margin instead of 1k margin I consider that a compromised mandate. Similarly, if someone loses by 10k margin instead of 8k margin, still that is a compromised election.
Don’t tell me someone had won – whether with 2k or 1k – or lost -whether with 10k or 8k – and winner is winner and loser is loser!
Is that how low we brought the standard of our electoral integrity?
If only one eligible voter is denied or just one ineligible voter is allowed to vote, that is a compromised election in my book.
I know, a lot of people may not agree with me.
I’m not looking at winners and losers. I’m looking at right to vote.
One more thing: Bengal election is illegitimate as much as Kerala election is. Irrespective of who won or who lost.
In one 93 lakh votes were deleted and in the other 24 lakh were.
Since ours is a universal adult franchise system the number of voters should match the total adult (18+ years) population of a state. Authentic numbers of that are available for anyone to see.
Any number that is less or more than that in the electoral roll is unacceptable.
That much we need to focus on.
Please come out of this winner-loser trap.
Would it have changed the verdict – is a phoney question.
The real question is: have all the eligible people voted or not?
Please free the discourse from winner-loser trap.
Talk about right to franchise. That’s fundamental. That’s the only fundamental thing.
Don’t create a country with two classes of Indians: one class with the right to vote and another without it. That’s not our India. I’m unfamiliar with it. It’s unacceptable time as a democrat. Irrespective of elections and their outcomes, please look at the idea of universal adult franchise.
That’s my prayer to you.
Enough of this discourse about electoral politics, outcomes and the interesting and dopamine producing prime time television debates and musical chairs game.
Please focus only on the right to franchise.
My right to vote is not predicated on which party wins if I’m denied it or if I’m eligible to vote.
I’m 18+, that’s all.
I’ve nothing to do with parties. I’m not bothered about who wins or who loses. How am I concerned with it? I want my vote. Give it to me. I will decide what I should do with it.
Why should my right to vote be predicated on who won or who lost an election? Or who I intend to vote?
Give every 18+ Indian a vote and call ourselves a democracy. That’s what I want.
Only then my country can call itself a democracy. I want to call it a democracy.
Help me to call it a democracy.
Please help me.
(Author is a Economist and Political Analyst)