We are on the threshold of a general election which could be one of the most important in the history of our great country. One of the important components of any election is the party election manifesto. But the question that now arises is whether this important party declaration is losing its significance. By definition an election manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the political party or an independent candidate. It serves as a reference document or benchmark for the public at large for what a political party stands for. By comparing the ideologies, policies and programs of the political parties, the electors can decide which party they should vote for to meet their expectations and aspirations. The ultimate aim of such policy documents is to garner the support and votes of people. However, despite the legal sanctity of the document written in black and white, election manifestos escape this liability resulting in promises and freebies mentioned in the manifestos, some of them outlandish, being forgotten after elections. Hence voters may not be taking the election manifestos too seriously. As a result of which, these written policy documents may be losing their significance and could be an exercise in futility. There could be other criteria which play a more significant role while voters exercise their franchise.
