Combating anti-democratic acts

While the Nagaland Baptist Church Council(NBCC) is still trying to educate people on the need for clean elections, there are other issues that have a direct and crucial bearing on elections and the way they are conducted, held and their impact on society and the government. Democracy is the tool and power of the people to decide on their destiny and therefore voting is sacred and the very core of the fundamental right. This can only be ensured if every citizen of the country who fulfils the norms to be enrolled as a voter in any particular constituency can have the name included in the electoral roll. Every citizen in a free democracy is obligated to vote without fear or favour. The rules clearly demand that such a voter should be a resident of a particular place for a certain length of time with correct bio data and address proof. If these are not done, then it can only allow non-residents to have their names in the electoral rolls and replace genuine residents which bodes ill for democracy. True that elections in Nagaland among the most expensive in India that places a huge financial burden on candidates and also true also that election means indulging in electoral malpractices. Unethical and corrupt practices such as bogus voters list, proxy voting, booth capturing, intimidation of voters through display of deadly arsenal, use of armed miscreants to abduct agents and workers, bribes etc have plagued elections since the mid-70s are evident across the nation.Money is also expected and given to those who offer to sell votes. Sometimes money is paid for each household while in some, every member of a family demands individual payment to ensure votes. It is however unfair to hold every voter responsible for the serious problem which has totally eroded public value and esteem of such a sacrosanct forum as the house of elected representatives. The point is that not all voters are genuine and not all voters sell their rights to the highest bidder. However, that alone is not enough to guarantee votes; these days, household members also demand money from other candidates. In this way, candidates are compelled to try and outbid the rivals. Another factor is how in many places, certain villages or organizations issue a diktat at to the electorate to vote for a particular candidate or party, thereby making a mockery of the process. Though money may not be used as blatantly in some places; but the very fact that some traditional or village authorities or organizations issue undemocratic dictats have hijacked the democratic process. Most of the genuine voters in Nagaland are hardly able to cast their votes since someone had already done them the favour of casting vote in their name. It is an open secret that polling officials look the other way when impersonators openly cast votes with the approval of all polling agents. In fact, voter impersonation has become a “done thing” in elections in Nagaland. Elections are conducted with blatant violation of the electoral code of conduct for an exercise that is one of the most expensive and unfair for various reasons. The other anti-democratic and criminal act is the practice of bogus voters and proxy voting. The little way out as a preventive means is to make it mandatory for voters to produce Electoral Photo Identity Card(EPIC).