Too much of a good thing is bad. The code of conduct
for candidates and political parties developed by the
Election Commission of India was considered revolutionary
when it was first conceived. Over the years
new sections were added in order to create a level
playing field and the exercise earned the respect of candidates,
political parties and voters. But, with passage of time,
the system got bureaucratized and today Goa is experiencing
the bad effects of regimental enforcement of the code.
Creating a level playing field in the run up to the elections is
commendable, but what use does the code have after the elections?
Why should Goa have a level playing field from February
5 to March 11? What purpose does it serve? One can understand
the directive against publishing the results of exit polls
until elections in other state are complete, but enforcing the
entire code is superfluous and meaningless.
The reason we are asking these questions is because the
code has placed a blanket ban on
issue and renewal of health cards
under Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva
Yojana. Under provisions of the
scheme the 1.98 lakh families who
possess health cards are given 60
days to renew the cards. This process should have started on 1
February but could not because elections were scheduled on 4
of February, which is understandable. But because the code of
conduct is still in force this process has been stalled. What this
means is that instead of 60 days the 1.98 families will now get
around 24 days to renew their cards.
The secretary in charge of the scheme wrote to the Election
Commission stating that, “where schemes have been cleared
and funds are provided or released and material procured
and reached the site such schemes may be executed as per
programme.” But the EC in typical bureaucratic fashion replied
that, “those that have been issued the cards can use the
scheme but no new beneficiaries can be added.”
The Election Commission is entrusted with the task of holding
elections, not governance. And it must be said that the EC
takes its job seriously, sometimes too seriously. But no matter
how many rules one has, there will always be a situation
that is outside the framework. The issue here concerns healthcare
services which cannot be availed of if the cards are not
renewed. In this case at least, the EC should have chosen a
practical solution instead of a bureaucratic one. It makes more
sense to enforce only those provisions which could impact on
or affect states going to polls together, like publication of exit
polls. The rest of the code can be suspended. The EC must do a
re-think on the issue of health cards and allow renewal simply
because it is not going to affect the outcome of polls in Goa or
any of the remaining three States.
