Getting more to vote
Alok Tiwari
As we approach the end of a long winded general elections,
the thing everyone seems concerned about is relatively low voting percentage.
To be sure, the gap with last general elections in 2019 has narrowed as the
elections progressed but there is no denying, the voting this time has been
less. Only in rare constituencies has voting been the same or more than last
time. In most places it is anything between 2 to 5 percent less. What this
means politically is for the pundits to divine. But it is obvious it is not a
very healthy thing for our democracy.
Lack of voter participation directly means that a party or
alliance supported by a minority gets to power. Typically, the party that gets
around 40% of the votes ascends to power. If the voting has only been 55-60%,
then a party or an alliance preferred by only 22-24% of the total number of
voters will form government. In
other words, we get a government that three of the four voters have not voted
for. A government that represents that thin a minority is also not
likely to be very inclusive. It would mean less connect with people at large
and more disaffection among people.
We are traditionally programmed to see low voter turnout as
voter apathy. There are posters and social media messages urging people to go
out and vote and not treat the voting day as a holiday. Many lay guilt upon our
doors and warn us that we will get a government we deserve if we do not
participate in this democratic ritual. Apathy may be the case for some of the
voters. But for a very large number, it is simply logistical difficulty.
We may have adopted electronic voting machines. But they
only help speed up and simplify the post-poll process. The counting is quicker
and results come in early. Also, there is saving on account of ballot papers
and moving the ballot boxes. But they do little to help make voting easier.
Basically, we are still voting in the manner that we used to. The Election
Commission needs to think on this line instead of merely appealing people to
vote.
There are two factors that are having an impact on voting
percentage. One is an aging population. The other is a mobile population.
Though India is still one of the youngest countries in the world, like most
countries it is also aging rapidly. It just means that the percentage of
elderly is increasing. This is inevitable and visible. Our polling centres have
not changed much to accommodate this reality. The security people and polling
officers do allow separate queues for senior citizens and give them priority
but the sheer number of them means that too need to spend substantial time
waiting to cast their vote. Since our elections are usually held in peak
summer, it is a big disincentive for them.
Many of the elderly are not physically fit to even go up to
the booth. Those who have other family members who can take them along are
lucky. But many just do not have anyone and are thus forced to skip voting. This
year, the EC began an initiative to get people over 80 to vote at home via
postal ballots. This is praiseworthy but was not done on a scale that it would
make a difference. Only a handful of voters were approached. This needs to be
scaled up. In fact, it should be available to everyone over, say, 70 years of
age. Voters should be able to register their requirement of voting at home
weeks ahead of elections and all requests should be accommodated.
EC also needs to find ways to enable voters living or
working in places other than where they are registered. Large number of people
now move for education, employment, or family reasons, this includes going
abroad. It is not possible for them to return to their original constituency to
cast their vote. Many of them are unsure of how long they will stay in their
current place, so do not register as voter locally. It is time to think about
enabling remote voting. Today’s technology allows accurate identification of
persons remotely. We do it every day while using banking and other financial
services where large sums of money are involved. It should be possible to do it
for voting as well. One should be able to vote no matter where one is in the
world. EC may also extend the facility of postal ballots to all voters who want
it.
While EC mandates employers to give their staff time off to
vote, this is not practically done or possible, especially for those working in
small private businesses or those self-employed. For them, the practice of
early voting may be introduced. While one voting day may be designated, it
should be possible to provide a handful of booths in every constituency where
people can go and vote days in advance. It is not a very radical idea. It is practised
in several countries.
Finally, we also need to address the apathy factor. Though
their numbers might not be decisive, a section of voters thinks their vote just
does not matter. There are reasons for this. The last time Lok Sabha seats were
increased was in 1973. The population then was about 55 crore against an
estimated 140 crore now. It means an MP today represents about two and half
times the number of voters than an MP in 70s. Since then delimitation exercise
has been carried out once but that was only to make constituencies more equal
and by not disturbing the representation of each state. Obviously, the value of
individual vote feels less. Keeping the constituency size in check by
increasing the number of LS seats will not only make our democracy more
representative but will also reduce cost of campaigning. It will make our
representatives more accessible and effective.
This column was published in Lokmat Times on May 22, 2024
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