India is the largest democracy in the universe. It has important institutions like parliament, state assemblies with lower house and upper houses, local bodies, municipalities etc. Each one of them has elected members. The election fever is furious for general and state elections. every election is a test of personal popularity and people’s faith.
The campaigning starts as soon as the nomination papers are filed and accepted. Even filing process is largely attended and the candidate comes to submit his papers in as much as a larger group. He s accompanied by flag pole persons, garlanded in heaps. He files the paper and signs them in the presence of persons from his group. Slogan shouting starts from the same day. Microphones and drum beat noise roar the sky and one finds the designated leader moving with folded hands in the streets of the city.
Biographical propaganda continues as the candidate gives promises and words. He is keen to win the seat by grabbing as many votes as the can. They bow down before every old person whom they never met in early life but they seek his or her blessings at this juncture. They do not mind lifting the dust-coated children of slums because they take it as a way to convince the voters of the area their love and affection. They offer uncontrollable – means for materializing the false dreams.
Elections are readily looked for by the sound service providers, banner painters, flag makers and press for publishers. The group gets a lot of employment or job work. Even the rickshaw or taxi-operators also queue up at the doors of the candidates. It is always interesting to find a chain of processions moving in streets and roads while displaying the allotted symbol of the candidate.
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Then the date for actual election approaches. The candidates race up their followers carry as many votes as is possible for them al. temptations, greed and warnings (no short of threats) are circulated and guess starts for actual election. Tents are fixed about 50 to 100 meters away from the election center. Canvassing at this point is more from word of mouth and people influence the voters and bring them to the election centers. A long queue can be seen from far off. Names are verified and agreed by agents sitting in polling station. An ink mark is fixed on the finger tips and the person, adult in age, allowed casting his vote. The scene then turns in next phase when counting starts and results are announced. The winners play on drums and jump and dance while irritating the opposition for their defeat, whereas the losers try to find a legal gap so that they can challenge the public verdict in the court.
Last is the oath ceremony which decides the status of the MLAs or MPs in the institution. As per the theoretical working, the MLA or MP is expected to remain in touch with the people who elected a particular, but he hardly gets time and interest in the place. He is sure to be able to repeat the game as the time approaches. Democracy is really very costly as far as election system is concerned. The system is more tarnished when it is offered to uneducated masses. The economy of high cost and poverty compels them to accept money for their vote and this spoils the objectives of democracy.
Election further encourages customs and communal feelings among masses. These things are further flared-up by the candidates during their propaganda. This certainly makes the masses narrow in circle and it also damages the basic unity of the country. The basic code of conduct should be stricter in this direction and strict check should be kept on the entire process so that an independent democracy is achieved and people ‘can enjoy the benefit of electing a proper representative for themselves.