Voting Thoughtfully

In India it is very common to see the sites of people contesting polls, going door to door and asking people to vote for them with folded hands. Money is spent like water during this time. Various kinds of gifts are given to voters from poorer sections of the society. It can be a Rs 100 or a Rs 500 note, a bottle of liquor, a saree or a box of biriyani. The election commission has a fixed amount that each contestant can spend in a particular constituency, but invariably this amount is crossed by the contestants many times over in an effort to gain power. 

Now once a particular contestant wins normally people don't get to see him for the next four and half years. The reason his target is achieved now he/she will recover the investments that he made during the elections through various dubious means. While a MP or a MLA is elected to represent his own constituency in the Parliament or Assembly. They hardly bother about doing any development work in their constituency. Whatever development work that is being done will invariably have some financial motive associated with it like getting a percentage from the project. 

The big problem is people vote on the basis of the promises and gifts given by the contestants rather than judging him/her on the basis of his character and past work. Again in India there is no Right to Recall any MP or MLA so the people have to suffer for the next 5 years after electing the candidate. 

So this makes it clear that it is important that people vote on the basis of character and past works of a candidate. The candidate must be honest and a man/woman of integrity. Another point is in case a wrong candidate is chosen by the people they must have the power to recall him/her, this is the basis of Right to Recall. 

Before the formation of Aam Aadmi Party. The major demands of India Against Corruption were :

1. Janlokpal
2. Right to Reject.
3. Right to Recall.

While Aam Aadmi Party has been able to give an honest alternative to Delhi. The Delhi Janlokpal bill is yet to be passed. The draft is probably sent to the Centre for approval. 

The Right to Reject and the Right to Recall bill has to be passed by the central government. However the kind of government that we have in the centre, it is very unlikely that the bills are going to be passed in the next four years. We must remember that Modi has come to power after spending money in advertisements like flowing water. Even an idiot will tell you that the amount of money that was spent should have surpassed the limits set by the Election Commission many times over. So its obvious his governments intentions now is get the most advantage of being in power. 

The state government of Delhi came to power on the basis of a transparent funding system and at a small budget of about Rs 20 cr, well inside the limits set by the election commission. The awareness spread by the AAP volunteer during Delhi state elections resulted in people accepting the gifts from other parties, but the ended up voting for AAP, since they now knew that other parties will simply rob them. 

The state of Delhi is now reaping in the advantage of voting for a honest party, AAP is working well despite of the hurdles set by the Centre through the Lieutenet Governer of Delhi.