Sometimes our political parties, in their desire to show themselves to be champions of the people, end up displaying their true colours.
How else does one explain statements issued by some politicians, urging citizens to come out "early" and vote in the municipal elections on February 16? The argument is that a large chunk of the electorate, particularly the well-heeled, comes out late to vote, leaving ample scope for unscrupulous politicians to get their supporters to resort to impersonation and vote in their stead.
While this has happened in the past, and may well happen again, is the answer to ask citizens to drop everything and rush to the polling booth at 7am, as soon as the EVMs are set up? Why, then, does the election commission set aside an entire working day, from 7am to 5pm, for people to cast their votes? It might as well restrict voting hours from 7am to 10am, or noon at the most. That way, not only the voting but also the counting could be completed before sunset, saving a lot of time, effort and money for the government.
But an election isn't only about the money being spent on it, whether by the government or by political parties. It is about the will of the people. It is about choosing the best option to govern the city, state or country, as the case may be, for the next five years. And it is the responsibility of the government machinery, of the election commission and its observers, and, indeed, of the political parties, candidates, and their polling agents, to ensure that the real voice of the citizens is heard loudly and clearly.
Trying to pass the buck on to the voters is nothing but a cop-out.
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