Re: [nukkad] Query about ballot papers

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely a strand in it. Whatever 
he does to the web, he does to himself. Attributed to Chief Seattle 1854 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

vvenugopal@Alfaisaliah.com wrote:
> 
> Rawatji, I was not advocating boycotting the election!. If you will read my earlier mail once again,

I think I have reacted too strongly on your suggestion. Of course there
was no mention of bycotting the elections in your mail.

I felt that a democratic system, however wrong it is, should be allowed
to run and people should participate in it. Side by side, they should
work for bringing improvements in the system.

If everybody votes "none of the above", the representatives do not get
elected, the assembly or parliament does not get formed, the P.M. or
ministers do not assume office. Thus, it is hindering democratic
procedure which will be worse. The cure is worst that the illness.

A phase of vacuum should not be there while improving the system.

> (2) If large number of voters do express such dissatisfaction about
 candidates, Political Parties will be constrained to review their
strategy. Since the margin of victory in most constituencies are small,
Political parties may find it worth wooing such voters to their fold by
fielding candidates with clean image.

Though it is an expression of logic, I feel that political parties would
not give a damn as long as one candidate gets elected by getting a
single vote.

Weren't there elections (I guess, Asaam) where total 15 or 50 votes were
polled and the candidates won or lost on that basis.

George W Bush won by the smallest margin. Do you think republicans and
Democrats will be selecting future candidates with any more care than
they are already doing?

(There was a joke that after the osama war, Bush sends fax to the
democrat candidate who had lost the election (name?), "Hi! We found some
missing votes. I was wrongly elected. You won. Please assume charge
tomorrow.)

> (3) I believe that the electoral system should not force to voters to select one of the option and should provide an opportunity to express his dissatisfaction with the candidate also.

Here I differ. An election is an election. There are different channels
for expressing dissatisfaction. Such expression should not interfere
with the election of the candidates. Nation needs to be run.

> But if I consider all of them unworthy of my vote I must have an option other than staying away from polling booth.

Dear Venu.
It is the other way round.
People are considered the highest authority to appraise a candidate. An
election is a trial by fire for a candidate. If people elect him/ her,
he is considered to have become pure.

Amma had so many allegations against her, yet people elected her party
and her. And that was not by slender margins.

> (4) It is childish to say that if I am not satisfied with candidates, I can put myself up as an candidate. Candidate's list including my name will not meet Rawatji's expectations, so Rawatji also becomes a candidate, but azim till doesn't like it so he too becomes a candidate! There is no end to this and it will only derail the election system. As it is large number of candidates is the bane of Indian electoral system.

That is the whole point. People keep on giving that logic but do not
offer their own candidature for the fearing of loosing.

In spite of that 80% corrupt figure coined here (I doubt that), I am
sure that in every election, in every constituency, there are quite a
few candidates who are not criminal nor corupt. Vote for them. Campaign
for them. But they invariably loose.

> that can be acted upon only by people who are sufficiently motivated and is certinly beyond the capabilities of an average voter

If need is there, people have to become motivated to go all the way. It
is simple demand and supply logic. If people are sure that honesty and
uprightness will lead to winning, they will come forward. Most of the
good people do not come forward for fear of loosing.

> (5) The question is how to reform the system. By blindly selecting one of the available,

not blindly. with due data and analysis.

> I am surprised that you read the voice of kashmiri militants in my post.

Sorry for this mistake.

-Rawat



------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, use the form at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/#options
This list is archived at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/archive.html