Why should the Chief Election Commissioner want to ‘update’ voter rolls? To be able to vote a person should literally have a clean hand with no voter ink on them, and a picture ID. So if you are dead you can’t vote. If you are not present you can’t vote. And somebody else cannot vote for you. The massive ‘updating’ is only a cover up to delist persons unlikely to vote for the ruling dispensation. Dead voters, duplicate voters and not present voters cannot vote. The numbers involved are huge, about 15 per cent in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Electoral victories are assured by much smaller numbers. The exercise is to reduce the number of lower castes, economically disadvantaged, minorities so that the upper castes, rich, baman and bania coalition can triumph. All hail the New India.
ZP elections reduced to a political stepping stone
The most enthusiastic participants in Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections are the candidates themselves and their close relations. Ever since the institution of grassroots governance, it is evident that the ZP has failed to acquire even dedicated premises of its own. Is this the “development” candidates speak of with such conviction?Candidates rarely address crucial questions”what is the actual budgetary allocation to the ZP, and what emoluments do its members receive? Instead,…
