Empowering enfranchisement

Our anger and cynicism w.r.t. the way we are manipulated at elections by political parties and individual candidates have left all of us quite disenchanted with electoral process as well as our politicians. The media is also perceived to be a shareholder and not seen as completely unbiased. 

The next Parliamentary elections are due in the first half of the coming year. I will feel much more comfortable in exercising my franchise if I have more information before I decide on my choice candidate.

I have prepared a preliminary list of details that may help each voter to decide on his franchise. I share it with you here.

Information w.r.t. contesting parties

Contesting political parties and their USP if any. 

Policies supported/ opposed during last govt. by these parties
Election budget and source of funding for different parties 

Demographic details of votes polled in last elections and no. of candidates fielded,

Projected C M/ PM if they win, 

Specifics of future policies and issues,

Information w.r.t. contesting Candidates

The pics and brief CV which includes their current and past occupation(s), criminal and civil cases pending against them with police record, of all the candidates. 

The cost of contesting and who is paying these costs. 

Policies and issues they supported and opposed in previous stints if they have been previously MPs or MLA. 

Their specific skills knowledge and strength 

Their material assets including those held in the name of family members with details of tax returns for last five years 

Their plans for their constituence and problems as they perieve 

The important issues that will be facing the next government as they perceive 

Media and office of CEC should ensure wide dissemination of following: 

Summary of the legislation/ bills passed and policy issues. 

Chief issues, policy matters, crisis faced by the previous government and the stance of different parties in power and those in opposition on these. 

The income govt has made from selling off public assets and the impact of selling off these assets and who profited.

What benefits government actions have given to the major funders of its political party. 

List of infrastructure development ( national/ regional/local) and their status along with originally approved cost and cost revisions if any. 

What industrial houses are funding (direct and indirect) which political parties with specific details. 

A list of promises made by the parties and the candidates

A list of charges regarding misdemeanors/ misbehavior and scams

Some of this information is available from the manifestos, media and other sources but a concisely drafted comprehensible statement in simple language at one place would be very welcome. While the overall statement would be essentially similar it should also address regional and local issues /aspirations.

I am sure that this small list can be further improved to include items that I may have mi



Nov 30,2008, 11;00 am
According to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, an elector can refuse to vote after he has been identified and necessary entries made in the register of electors. The EC has no data on the number of people who have used the rule because these "votes" are not counted and there have only been stray incidents of activism so far. But those who believe in the Rule say 49(0) gives people a powerful right: to say 'No' without boycotting the democratic process. They hope, at least theoretically, that with better awareness among voters, 49(0) will force political parties to put up better candidates.


For more info visit- http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20081130/814/tnl-to-vote-or-declare-you-are-not-votin.html

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