Why election integrity matters

EC’s actions are taking away power of everybody’s vote

Alok Tiwari

After the Bengal elections and charges of large-scale irregularities in electoral roll revision, the reaction has been predictable and along the now familiar fault lines. While many felt that the Bengal elections were stolen for BJP by the Election Commission through an opaque and incomplete SIR process, others pointed to anger at Mamata Banerjee’s misrule. The latter were also at pains to point out that SIR was also conducted in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the other states that went to polls along with West Bengal, and that BJP would have won in WB even without SIR deletions.

There is a kernel of truth in all this. Obviously, Mamata’s misrule was a real problem. She had faced and fought against the thuggish government of CPI(M) for years. But when she finally wrested power from them, she incorporated some of the same practices as her predecessors. Many times, it was the same set of people too. This meant much less attention to governance and much more attention to tactics of hanging on to power.

A poor law and order situation, absence of investment, lack of infrastructure, widespread corruption, and free run of TMC goondas in several pockets meant life for ordinary people remained difficult. However, no matter how bad the government, it is not right to remove it through unconstitutional and fraudulent means. If we accept that then we open the door for everybody who disagrees on anything with a government to try to oust by any means. Functional democracies allow a fair contest to gauge mood of the people and a peaceful change.

Let us also get SIR in other states objection out of the way. The exercise in Kerala and TN was materially different. In neither state, the deletions reached the level they did in Bengal where 91 lakh or almost 12% of electorate was reduced. In neither state there were large-scale objections to the deletions by the aggrieved citizens as they were in Bengal. In neither state the criterion of ‘logical discrepancy’ applied to eject names over minor spelling and other errors. In neither state an unknown, untested, unproved software was used to do so. In both states the appeals process was completed before elections while in Bengal’s case, 27 lakh appellant voters were knowingly, deliberately kept out. That issue is before Supreme Court again.

So, no, it is not that people shout only when BJP wins and keep quiet when others do. They protest when there are genuine doubts and unanswered questions. It is important that the integrity of election process remains intact. It is nobody’s case that previously everything was perfect with Indian elections. There were cases of booth capturing and fraudulent voting in pockets during the ballot paper era as well. Then there were questions about EVMs. Indeed, BJP itself published a booklet about how dangerous use of EVMs was when it was in opposition. Prime Minister Modi himself objected to actions of “James Michael Lyngdoh”, remember? However, most elections most of the time still managed to reflect the will of the people. Also, when objections were raised the Election Commission, government, and courts responded by opening up the records and allowing objectors to assess the facts themselves. That removed doubts and allayed fears.

That has changed. What has happened in Bengal has to be seen in the light of behaviour of both the EC and the government. This column has pointed out a series of steps (https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5091914739725866245/7962961790052142619) they have taken to turn EC and entire elections increasingly opaque. Not only information is shielded, but when given it is in form that cannot easily be analysed. Impossible deadlines are drawn up for important exercises like SIR and arbitrary decisions that all go to favour the ruling party are taken. For example, why EC did not undertake SIR in Assam but hurried through in Bengal? No answer. Instead of transparency what we get now is flagrancy and arrogance.

It is not just Bengal. The way SIR is being conducted all over is objectionable. This time EC has taken upon itself the powers to question our citizenship. That is not its job, and it has no powers to do it. It did not ask for documents before. In case of doubt or a complaint, cases were referred to home ministry for investigation and action. BJP says that this led to foreigners (it calls them infiltrators) being included as voters. However, neither the party nor the EC wants to prove it. EC has kept away 27 lakh voters who are insisting they are citizens. Can it prove they are all infiltrators? If not, what recourse do they have for being denied their vote?

This brings into question legitimacy of entire process. The question whether it would have changed the outcome is irrelevant. Any government that is installed through an illegitimate process, is itself illegitimate. Elections are illegal if even a small number of citizens have been intentionally disenfranchised to target the demographic opposed to the ruling party. It would prove the EC was not a neutral umpire. It takes away the very foundation of Indian democracy. It neutralizes yours and my votes.

It is astounding that many people who should know better justify all this because it unseated a government they loathed. It is not about any single government. It is about power of us citizens to instal the kind of government we want. Our vote should matter. A flawed process does not become acceptable if it produces an outcome we like. You cannot be happy at losing your vote because the party you favour has risen to power. You still have lost your vote. And it will stay lost when you need to use it to oust any government. It is amazing how many people are okay with erosion of their rights because they love the current government. Neither this government nor their love will last forever. What will last is all of us becoming powerless.

This column appeared in Lokmat Times on May 14, 2026