Karnataka - Mysore   

‘Reforms could ensure more voter turnout’

MYSORE: The voter turnout in the second phase of the elections held in ten districts has been put at 60 per cent, which is a drop of six per cent from the first phase of polls. What could be the reason for voter apathy? Can reforms set right the apathy and ensure people turn out in large numbers to exercise their franchise?

Social activist Vasanthkumar Mysoormath, who conducted voter awareness movements in 1999, 2004 and 2008 elections (first phase), has echoed Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer P. Manivannan’s reported view that research has to be conducted on poor poll percentage.

“It is high time that such an exercise is undertaken by the Government of India. A number of election reforms are long-pending before the Centre.

The Election Commission itself has forwarded some suggestions that are pending since many years now,” said Mr. Mysoormath, who was the presiding officer in more than 10 elections.

Mr. Mysoormath, who retired from the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, maintained that the poll percentage can be substantially improved if the Government makes a “determined attempt” to bring in reforms as recommended by the Election Commission and experts over the years.

He, too, had made certain suggestions for improving the poll percentage.

Many eligible voters have been denied their right to vote because their names were missing, although they held Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPIC).

“Why should they keep running around in circles to obtain updated EPICs every time there is an election, only to be turned down because the revised rolls do not contain their names,” he asked.

The money and energy spent for enumeration and preparation of electoral rolls with the help of teachers and government officials has time and again failed to produce the required results.

This needs to be answered because public money is being splurged to prepare incorrect rolls and to deny the citizens their right to vote, he said.

It is also time for the citizens to behave in a responsible manner and involve themselves at the grassroots level to help the EC set right the perennial problem, he said.

The three-tier system applicable to rural areas viz., zilla, taluk and gram panchayats, is absent in urban areas. To fill this gap, involvement of Resident Welfare Associations/ NGOs and other concerned citizens would help.

“Street committees with volunteers from the residents in a street are the need of the hour.

They, in turn, can coordinate with ward committees for enumeration and compilation of near-perfect electoral rolls and also for assessing the works and projects that need attention and for projecting their demands and grievances with the concerned service providers,” Mr. Mysoormath suggested.

The youth of the country has exhibited rank apathy due to their feeling that “politics is a dirty business”.

Many have expressed disgust over the behaviour of politicians in Parliament/Assemblies.

“The youth have not bothered even to register themselves as voters because of the cumbersome procedure and running around to get an EPIC which nevertheless becomes useless by the next election. This attitude needs to be changed,” he said.

What the country needs is political will to bring necessary legislation through amendment to those rule books that govern elections.

“Countries like Turkey and Australia have compulsory voting and the turnout is about 90-plus per cent. What made those countries prescribe such a rule and how it is implemented may be studied and adopted in our country also,” he said.

Can incentives attract voters?

Some incentive is bound to attract at least a percentage of people to stop being apathetic and cynical and proceed to vote.

“A system may be prescribed: those who vote may be given a certificate by the EC for claiming say one or two per cent reduction in their electricity bills or water bills or property tax for a certain period after an election. If the percentage of voting can be increased by spending a few crores, then it will be well worth trying,” said Mr. Mysoormath.

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